The Lost One
by elle6778
Summary: Memories lost, Itachi began to settle into life as a civilian in a secluded village. But when fate thrust Sakura into the picture, he knew he could no longer avoid his past. ItaSaku. Spoiler up to Manga Chapter 449. Prequel to The Return of the Heir.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Title: The Lost One

Author: elle6778  
Rating: T/PG-13  
Genre: Adventure/Romance

Summary: Memories lost, Itachi began to settle into life as a civilian in a secluded village. But when fate thrust Sakura into the picture, he knew he could no longer avoid his past. ItaSaku. Spoiler up to Manga Chapter 449. 50-shinobi Theme No 28: Blood Limit.

A/N: Welcome to another one of my ItaSaku multichaptered story. It is actually the first part of a much bigger story. Anyway, as with all my other stories, I hope that you will enjoy this one as well. Here goes…

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 1**

Bright rays of sunlight.

That must be what the warmth bathing his face was, he decided. The glow beyond his closed eyelids suggested that much. He could also detect the fresh scent of the earth and trees; the intensity of the scent and the dampness of the ground against his back immediately informing him that he was in some form of forest, and that it was spring.

Most importantly, his senses told him that he was alone.

It was oddly disorientating, comprehending his surroundings without actually visualizing with his eyes, but his subconscious told him that such was the norm for him. His subconscious told him that he had been viewing the world thusly for a long time, long enough for it to be second nature.

But why?

Perhaps he was visually impaired, simply incapable of actually seeing with his eyes. Somehow, such a notion did not sit well with him. It brought forth a feeling of anger, of betrayal, and finally, a sense of acceptance. The rush of emotions was unexpected. It was odd, to say the least.

Needing to know the truth, he willed himself to open his eyes.

For a while, he struggled with the motion. It felt as if his eyelids were fused together, refusing to part, refusing to allow him to see what lay beyond the thin film of skin.

He persevered, not accepting defeat.

And then a shaft of brightness shone through a small horizontal slit between his lids. He gritted his teeth against the uncomfortable glare. This, at least, informed him that he was not completely sightless.

Ignoring the less-than-pleasant sensation, he opened his eyes fully.

Colors flooded his vision; the various shades of green of the leafy canopy above, the brilliant blue of the sky beyond, and lower, the wild forest flowers of various hues. There were birds of different shades of color flitting from tree to tree, their flapping wings keeping them afloat in the air. A feather escaped, fluttering down at him, almost as if it was dancing in the air. He caught it with his fingers, studying the fineness of the individual branches.

It was breathtaking.

It was breathtaking because every object appeared so sharp, so perfectly outlined. And he knew now that his earlier assumption must be correct, that he had been visually impaired. Now, however, his vision was perfect. But how was it that he was capable of such feat?

Blinking slowly, he pushed himself up on his elbows, lifting his upper body away from the ground. Yes, he was in a forest. It was an unfamiliar one. Then again, everything was unfamiliar to him at the moment.

Carefully, he straightened his limbs and stood up shakily, steadying himself against a nearby tree. His muscles were stiff, telling him that he had not moved for a while. A quick perusal of his form assured him that he was physically sound, albeit a little hungry and dirty.

What had happened to him?

Staring into the depth of the forest, he attempted to recall what he could. Fragments of memories flashed across his mind, each disconnected with another. It did not make sense, no matter how he attempted to piece them together. The images were separate, disconnected pieces of unrelated events.

He saw a flash of engraved metal; a swirl with a pointed corner. Then there was another image, a wisp of smoke and a black feather floating to the ground. There was a target fixed upon a tree trunk. He saw himself practicing with a pouch of shuriken and seals.

A stab of pain in his head broke his concentration, and he bit back a groan. Inhaling deeply, he told himself to remain calm, and to focus on retrieving his memory.

The seals, he reminded himself.

Fingers flashing, twisting to perform the required seals…

An explosion of water and of fire…

The cry of pain as the attack connected with its target…

The sharp, gleaming blade of a katana as it sliced through flesh, bringing forth a gush of thick, red blood…

And it came to him from nowhere. He did not know how he knew, but he just did.

Ninja.

He was a ninja.

Another sharp pain cleaved through his head, and this time, there was no stopping it. He held his head as pain pounded through his skull. His attempts to recall his memories seemed to be the trigger for the pain, as if it was simply too much effort for him to remember. As if his mind did not wish for him to recall any of his past.

Grunting in pain, he fixed his focus on another indistinct image, another shadow of memory.

A flash of a metal studded face, and a deep voice calling out to him, almost in a rumble. The face was oddly familiar, and yet unfamiliar. He strained to focus on capturing the elusive memory, knowing that it was important. The lips were moving, forming words, some kind of incantation. Then it was saying something else, something…

And then he caught it.

The voice was calling out a name.

Itachi.

The voice was calling him Itachi.

000

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000

The splashing sounds and the tinkling of children's laughter as they played at the riverbank reached Itachi as he walked by. At his approach, two of them paused, and then waved cheerfully at him. In response, he inclined his head at them, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He walked to the edge of the river and knelt down, staring at his reflection as he did so. The image which stared back at him was almost unrecognizable from the one which had reflected back to him more than a year ago. Then, his face had been pale, gaunt and his hair long. Now, the wholesome village life had rounded his cheeks and taken away his pallor.

He continued to stare at his reflection, recalling what had happened then, beside another river.

…_He stood at the bank of a gently flowing river, staring at the running water for a moment before he crouched next to it. Dipping his hands into the water, he cupped a handful of the cold liquid, bringing it to his lips to quench his thirst._

_Once satisfied, he dropped his moist hands to his side and glanced up to scan his surroundings. He was encircled by trees which he subconsciously knew were not native to where he had come from. The land he was in seemed almost wild. Untouched. Unspoiled. _

_Predictably, he did not know where he was. Somewhere to the west of where he had woken up. Still, that did not matter. He had no particular destination in mind, although he knew that he should avoid shinobi villages, lest he was recognized. Tactically, that would be unwise, for it would put him at a disadvantage as he did not even know who he was. _

_For the past one week, he had wandered aimlessly, trying to work out some form of plan as he did so. The only break in his monotony was the three encounters he had with bandits travelling through the forest. With several efficient moves he could not remember how he had came to be aware of in the first place, he had disabled them in less than a minute each time. The fact that he had done so suggested that he was not a weak fighter. _

_Still crouched by the edge of the river, he stared down at his reflection. In his right hand, the dagger he had taken from the last bandit dangled loosely. _

_He would describe himself as average-looking, but certainly on the gaunt side. Long black hair fell freely about his pale face. Deep grooves slashed under his onyx eyes, perhaps making him appear older than he was. He would not know, as he had no knowledge of his actual age. _

_Instinct told him that until he rediscovered his background and knew where he stood in this unfamiliar world, it was best that he disguised himself. Regardless of his lack of memories, he was certain that there was someone out there who would recognize him. Someone who knew who he was. No one was completely alone, after all. If anyone recognized him, then he would be taken by unawares, as he would not be able to recognize either friend or foe. _

_His reflection stared back at him from the surface of the river. He needed to modify his appearance. It would not do to be recognized before he was in possession of all the pertinent facts about his past. _

_The sunlight hit the blade of the dagger as he brought it close to his face. _

_And in minutes, the reflection that stared back at him was not quite so familiar. The dagger being the only sharp implement he possessed, the best he could manage was to crop his black hair close to his skull, but not quite bald. When he arrived at the next village, he would purchase a better tool and finish the task properly. _

_For the moment, this would suffice…_

As the memory faded, Itachi averted his gaze from his reflection and moved away from the river. He had kept his head shaven since then, as a part of his disguise, even though it had been unnecessary as he had not left the village since the war had begun. It had been fortunate that the war had not spilled into the village, for such a thing would surely force him to reveal his shinobi background.

When he resumed his 'patrol' around the village, Itachi thought over his life for the past one year. It was the only life he knew so far. The villagers were friendly, trusting him even though he was a stranger. He could abuse his position and leave the village vulnerable if he chose to, but it appeared that such things did not even cross their mind. Not that he had any intention of doing so.

This village had been good to him, and he was content to remain indefinitely, although there was always a voice at the back of his mind, reminding him that there was a task he needed to perform before he could settle anywhere permanently.

His memories. He needed to recall his past, even though he was not certain that the past was something he wanted to recall. And yet, needing and wanting were two completely different things.

At the moment, he was reluctant to upset the peaceful life he had found here. However, he knew that one day, he would have to venture out of this village, and he knew that when he did, it would be time to unearth his past.

As he continued to walk along the dusty streets of the rural village, he recalled how he had ended up there in the first place.

…_He had travelled for a long time. Perhaps a month or two. He had stopped counting after a while, for it seemed pointless. Villages after villages passed in a blur; they had been indistinguishable from each other after the first ten or so, but the terrain had changed from the wet, rich soil which encouraged greenery to the arid dryness of the desert, to his current location of a temperate mountainous terrain dotted with countless wild hot springs. _

_It was winter in this country. Dry leaves crunched lightly under his feet as his made his way through the deciduous forest. He had made no attempt to silence it, for it would give away his ninja abilities. Dressed in a nondescript outfit of black top and pants with a rough, sand-colored woven cloak he had purchased from Wind Country with money he had taken from one of the defeated bandits, he strived to appear as no more than a lone civilian traveler. _

_As he continued to walk, he caught sight of a cliff in the distance, and what looked like a cave opening. _

_His steps stilled, his brows furrowing slightly in deliberation as he sensed a pulse of energy from within. Whatever was within seemed powerful, and he immediately wondered if he ought to investigate the cave._

_However, before he could come to a decision, a shrill scream sounded in the distance. Itachi's attention slipped away from the cave and he turned his eyes in the direction of the sound. From this distance, he could not see the source of the scream, but the voice clearly belonged to a woman. _

_Another scream pierced the air. This time, it was followed by the unmistakable guffaws of several men. _

_Itachi's eyes narrowed as he realized what must be happening. The first and foremost thought was that he had no reason to get involved in the situation. It was none of his concern. However, another part of him urged him to assist the distressed and obviously outnumbered woman._

_The woman screamed again, and a choked cry followed soon afterwards._

_Itachi moved._

_In moments, he found himself stepping into clearing next to a spilled and trampled basket of herbs, right behind three men who were standing over a young woman who had fallen down to the ground. Her long black hair curtained her face from sight, but it was obvious that she was terrified. A stab of disgust coursed through him at the sight of the men taking advantage of someone who was obviously weaker than them. _

_The woman turned a pair of large, teary dark eyes at him and for a moment, another face, an older woman's face flashed across his mind. Eyes teary as well, the woman in his mind seemed to be begging him to stop. The sight made something constrict within him, just before the memory faded out of existence. _

"_H-help m-me…" the young woman, no more than in her mid teens, cried out in a trembling voice. _

_The men spun around, eyes widening slightly in surprise. Itachi supposed they had not heard him approach._

_One of them snarled, "Get lost, brat!" _

_Itachi simply tilted his head slightly, his eyes assessing his soon-to-be opponents. They were bulky men, clearly used to physical tasks, but he suspected that these men were not fighters. The chance of them being shinobi was slim to none, for they lacked the slender build typical of shinobi. He concluded that it would not take long to defeat them. _

_Another one laughed. "I think this one wants to be a hero, boys." _

"_Let's give him what he deserves, huh?" the third one sneered. _

_The three of them charged at him simultaneously, but Itachi easily sidestepped the clumsy attack. Foolish men, he thought as he spun on the ball of one foot, sweeping his other leg in a high arc. _

_His kick connected with two of his opponents, sending them flying. Even before their bodies could hit the ground, Itachi had already caught the third one by the throat. The man gasped, desperate hands coming up to grasp Itachi's wrist, his eyes bulging as he struggled for air. _

_Grip not loosening in the slightest, Itachi simply watched the man flail. And then he leaned forward and said quietly, "Perhaps next time, you should consider the possible consequences of your actions before you act."_

_The man let out a choked sound, which Itachi assumed was a concurrence to what he had said. Only then did he release his hold, and the man immediately scrambled away from him, so desperate to leave that he had forgotten about his two beaten friends. _

_Itachi turned to the frightened woman, who still sat trembling on the ground. She returned his perusal with a pair of large dark eyes. _

"_Are you alright?" he asked flatly._

_The woman nodded quickly, her tearstained face and her runny nose making Itachi uncomfortable. Emotion, he finally identified. Such open displays of emotion unsettled him, he realized. It was curious, and a little unsettling how as each day passed, he found out more and more about himself._

"_T-Thank you." She raised herself to her knees, and then slowly to her feet. _

_He nodded stiffly. And then, wishing to be elsewhere but next to her, he glanced around their surroundings until his eyes landed back on her. The woman was clearly still shaken, and he knew that she was still vulnerable. A voice in his mind cautioned him to retreat, for he had done more than necessary, while another pushed him to see to her safety._

"_Where do you live?" he asked. _

"_Live?" She blinked, and then pointed south. "A village there."_

_He did not recall seeing a village earlier, making him suspect that she might be lying. Still, he said, "You should return. I will escort you up to your village gates if you direct me." _

_Gratefulness shone in her eyes as she nodded eagerly. "Thank you again." She pointed south again. "Just straight there."_

_He began to walk away from the clearing, not glancing back to see if she followed. Her rapid footsteps were enough to tell him that she was directly behind him. He was not certain why he was doing this, but he hoped not to repeat it. The situation was… discomfiting. _

_A short while later, Itachi's steps stilled at the sound of thundering footsteps against the forest floor. He watched as a crowd of villagers appeared from beyond the trees. They were carrying all manners of makeshift weapons. _

_One of the men cried out, "Hitomi!" _

"_Get away from her!" another shouted, his pitchfork pointed forwards in a supposedly threatening manner._

"_No!" the woman protested, rushing in front of him. "You got it all wrong!" _

"_Hitomi." The older man reached for her, taking her arm gently. "We heard your scream." His eyes swept over her torn attire. "And your yukata…"_

_The woman called Hitomi shook her head. "No, he saved me, Ojii-san. The bandits did this to me. They are back there." _

_Itachi watched impassively as the villagers gave him a look of surprise before resuming their fussing of the now red-cheeked young woman. Realizing that it was no longer necessary for him to remain there, he turned to walk away._

"_Wait," a voice called out. _

_Itachi paused, glancing over his shoulders to find a middle-aged man walking towards him. The man carried with him an air of authority which suggested to Itachi that he had some standing in the village. _

_The man stopped behind him. After a moment of scrutiny, the man said, "I'm Minamoto Takai, head of the village."_

_Itachi inclined his head, but said nothing._

"_I thank you for helping Hitomi." He sighed, sounding weary. "This is not the first time this has happened. Recently, rough men and bandits seem to be growing in numbers. Especially since the rumors of the coming attack by some big shinobi nation."_

_He did not know what the man was referring to, so he remained silent. However, the news that this place might soon be covered with shinobi concerned him slightly. He did not wish to be identified by others until he knew where he stood._

_Minamoto Takai continued, "Well, night is almost upon us. As repayment for your kindness, please accept our village's hospitality."_

"_I'm not aware there's a village nearby, Minamoto-san," Itachi remarked in a quiet voice._

_The other man's lips quirked. "Yes. It is somewhat protected. An old legend explains why no one could see it unless specifically invited by the villagers. We'll tell you more if you'd like to follow us home."_

_Itachi considered the invitation, his interest somewhat piqued by the so-called legend. In the end, he decided that there was no harm in accepting the offer of a good night's rest from well-meaning villagers. _

_And so, he said, "I accept your offer, Minamoto-san." _

When he had accepted the village head's offer, he had not expected to enter a village which was so securely hidden by a high level jutsu that it was all but invisible to outsiders. He could tell that it was not a common jutsu, and it was most likely the blood limit of some clan. How he had surmised all this was beyond his understanding. He had simply known.

The village was as any rural village; simple, peaceful, wholesome and pleasant. Itachi knew deep inside that he had not hailed from such a village, and yet, the place appealed to him. Perhaps it was the simplicity of it. He had a feeling that his life had been anything but simple before he lost his memories. In fact, he was fairly certain that it had been filled with duplicity.

His life in the village was pleasant, and he was mostly left to his own devices, something he appreciated. The villagers were curious, he knew, but they seemed to sense that he would not appreciate any form of intrusion into his privacy.

Continuing his walk through the village, he passed a familiar house. It was a modest wooden abode, which he had inherited from an unfortunate villager who had died shortly after he had arrived. Kenta was his name, Itachi recalled. And Kenta had been the sole fighting force of the village, performing tasks such as scouting the perimeter to ensure that the village was secure and dealing with any unsavory outsiders.

And now, it was a task which had fallen to him.

Itachi made his way to the centre of the village, reaching his destination several minutes later. Once there, his steps slowed to a complete halt, his eyes fixed to a glittering object.

The pearlescent gemstone floated several feet in the air, seemingly weightless. He had been told that this gemstone, which was approximately the size of an adult's head, was the source of the village's protection and it was merely a fragment of another larger gemstone. The village head also told him that as long as the gemstone floated in the air, it stilled functioned. Legend had it that the gemstone itself came from the gods, brought down to protect villages which cultivated and cared for their land well.

Itachi was not certain if there was any truth in the legend, although the gemstone was certainly acting together with some jutsu to keep the village invisible from outsiders. He could sense a strong chakra from within, solidifying his initial suspicion that a ninjutsu was at work here. But he would not disillusion the villagers. They were content to believe in their legend, and Itachi had no reason to change that.

Yet, the shinobi in him could not help but wonder if the powerful gemstone could be used for other purposes, while another part of him cautioned him against the notion of tampering with what the villagers viewed as a sacred object.

The approach of someone familiar broke into his thoughts, and he slowed his steps.

"Itsuki-san!!"

Itachi turned around to find a teenage boy running towards him, his expression pale. The boy lived at the edge of the village with his grandparents, his parents having passed away long ago. As the boy came closer, Itachi could clearly discern the panicked look on his face. Something was obviously wrong.

"Itsuki-san!" he panted as he skidded to a stop. "You need to come help us!"

"What is the matter, Ichiro-kun?"

"My grandparents… They're sick. It happened so suddenly." Liquid glimmered upon Ichiro's lashes. "Please."

Itachi grimaced. "Where are they now?"

"At home. I can't get them to the healer alone."

"I'll assist you."

Gratitude shone in the boy's blue eyes. "Thank you, Itsuki-san!"

Itachi followed closely behind as Ichiro ran all the way back to his house. And when they arrived and stepped into the house, Itachi was immediately assailed by the unmistakable scent of illness and vomit. He knew the boy had not been exaggerating when he noted the unhealthy pallor of the two elderly figures on the bed in the main bedroom. They were wheezing as they breathed. There also seemed to be some rashes on their skin, although Itachi did not know if it was part of their illness.

After instructing Ichiro to dress his grandparents in warm clothing, Itachi went outside to retrieve a cart. Once the elderly couple was settled, Itachi and Ichiro carefully lifted the front of the cart and pulled it along at a rapid pace in the direction of the healer's home.

Before long, they arrived at their destination and the healer, Okada Kaito came out to greet them with a smile. However, when the man saw the condition of his patients, his smile disappeared and he quickly helped them into the warmth of the building. Between them, they managed to get the two patients settled in beds in the treatment room.

"Since when have they been like this?" Okada asked.

"One, two days?" Ichiro's face scrunched in thought. "It wasn't so bad before, Okada-san. It just got really bad today."

"I see. Now stand back a little, let me see what I can do."

The healer worked on the couple while Itachi and the boy stood to one side, watching silently. The bitter scent of herbs and medicinal roots soon filled the air as Okada prepared the medication and administered it to his patients. Sweat beaded the man's forehead as he toiled, the furrow between his brows deepening as the hours passed.

And yet, he clearly made no progress, for the old couple was not any better than when they first arrived.

"They are not responding to anything," the healer lamented agitatedly, running a hand down his face to wipe off his sweat. Looking distraught, he continued, "I can't think of what else I can do."

"But you have to help them!" Ichiro cried out, frantic with worry and obviously growing more panicked by the moment. "Okada-san, you're our healer!"

The healer simply shook his head slowly, sorrowfully, as he walked out of the treatment room. Both Itachi and Ichiro followed him out, the latter clearly about to badger the healer further.

However, before Ichiro could say a word, the door to the healer's house slammed open, revealing the breathless figure of Hitomi, the girl Itachi had saved about a year ago. His eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed her red-rimmed eyes and her shaky form.

"Ojii-san!" she cried out. "You must come. Kana-chan and Obaa-chan are sick."

Kana, Itachi recalled, was Hitomi's youngest sister. She was only seven years old. The image of another young face, a little boy with dark eyes and dark hair flashed across his mind, as it always had done when he thought of Kana. It was another face from his past, he knew, and Itachi suspected that this boy might be related to him, considering the similarities in their appearances.

"Sick?" the healer looked stricken. "What's wrong with them, Hitomi?"

"They are shivering and vomiting," she explained hurriedly, worriedly. "And Obaa-chan is wheezing badly."

The familiarity of the symptoms struck Itachi, and he asked, "Since when?"

"Last night, I think. But they really got worse today."

Okada darted a look at him. "You think they are connected?"

Itachi nodded.

Ichiro turned to him then, eyes begging him even before the words did. "Please, Itsuki-san! Please do something!"

Itachi was at a loss as to what to do next. He was not a medic, but he assumed that if a civilian medic could not help this couple, then perhaps a shinobi one would be able to. The knowledge that chakra-based healing could help was in his mind, but as always, he did not know how he came to be aware of it.

"Rumor has it that there is a shinobi village in this country. Is it true?" he asked.

Okada frowned. "Used to be one a long time ago, but I heard that they quit their practices. But now, with the war and all, who knows?"

"When Rin-san came back from Wind Country months ago, just when the war started, she heard rumors that the shinobi hidden village was rebuilt," Hitomi supplied. "So I guess the war brought it back."

"Are there medics in the shinobi village?" Okada asked.

"There usually are some," Itachi replied carefully.

The boy's eyes rounded in hope. "You think they could help?"

"Perhaps."

The healer interjected quietly, "It's not a short trip, and it could be dangerous. The war might not even be over, and no one knows what it's really like out there now."

Ichiro dropped to his knees. "Itsuki-san. Please help us. Please don't let them die. They are the only family I have."

Family. The word sent a pang through Itachi, but he did not know why. It was strange, for he had no memory of his own family.

"Please, Itsuki-san!"

"Stand up, Ichiro." The moment the boy stood up, Itachi turned to the dark-haired girl. "Okada-san will see to Kana. In the meantime, can you find out if there are others who are ill?" Shifting his attention to Ichiro, he told the boy, "Assist Hitomi. I will watch over your grandparents."

Nodding quickly, the two teenagers disappeared out of the door with Ichiro while Okada quickly packed his supplies and left to tend to his relatives, leaving Itachi alone in the building with the two elderly man and woman.

Itachi frowned thoughtfully as he sat down on a nearby chair. He suspected that something infectious was spreading through the village. Whatever it was, it was clearly beyond Okada's healing abilities. Which meant that he would have to venture out to the shinobi village to seek assistance, for he knew that no one else would do so. It meant that he would be exposing himself to his own kind.

Ninja.

He sighed inwardly. Fate had intervened and it seemed to be telling him that was time for him to leave the sanctuary of the village to seek the truth of his past.

000

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000

A/N: Edit: There's a drawing of Itachi as he looks in this story in my profile, if you're interested! And yes... he will eventually regrow his hair!

:elle6778:


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for your encouraging reviews. Okay, this chapter will reveal a bit more about the background to this story. Please note that many things about Spring Country and Yugakure are made up, and non-canon. I might have modified a bit of the canon facts as well to suit the story. Anyway, enough of that… Please enjoy this chapter.

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 2**

Haruno Sakura inhaled deeply as she walked down the street leading to her workplace. The scent of minerals was rich in the air, courtesy of the various wild hotsprings dotting this particular country. It had a calming effect, she suspected, smiling slightly as she thought of the easygoing inhabitants of the Hidden Hot Water Village, or better known as Yugakure.

Timber buildings and stalls lined up on both sides of the road, some already open for business. Some of the wares reminded her of Konoha, but some were new to her, native to Spring Country. There was a handful of shinobi and civilians milling about, but it was still relatively quiet in the streets.

She stopped by a nikuman stall. By now, the man standing behind it was a familiar face.

"Good morning, Haruno-san!" the steamed-bun vendor called out cheerfully. "What would you like today?"

"Good morning, Daishi-san." She eyed the bamboo steamers thoughtfully. "Can I have a red bean nikuman today?"

"Of course." The vendor opened the bamboo lid, allowing the steam to escape briefly as he lifted a bun out. Dropping it into a bag, he handed it to her. "Here you go."

She handed him the correct amount of coins before she took it. "Thank you."

As she continued on her journey, she bit into her hot bun and munched appreciatively. The steamed bun was one of the things she really liked about this place. The first time she had it was several months ago, when she had first arrived here. Konoha never had such nice ones. Those in Konoha were pre-packed, and lacked the richness of the ones here.

The thought of Konoha dimmed her mood slightly.

Pein's attack on Konoha more than a year ago had led to many changes. The most important being the fact that Danzou had taken over leadership of her beloved village. Since then, she had been transferred to Suna. And while she was away, Konoha had gone to war with several shinobi villages, quickly taking them over.

Yugakure, which was the hidden village in Spring Country, was one of them. It was situated just to the west of Wind Country, which meant that the Leaf shinobi who had fought in the battle had to cross Wind Country to reach Konoha. With so many of those she knew passing by Suna, Sakura had not been spared the gory details of the battle.

Sakura mulled over what she knew about the village she was currently living in. Once, Yugakure had been a small and secretive shinobi village. Shortly after the Second Great Ninja War, its leader, Kobayashi Hikari, had transformed it from a shinobi village into a peaceful and prosperous civilian village. Apparently, Kobayashi had been swayed to that decision due to the devastation the war had brought upon Spring Country then. That was also the first time Konoha had attacked the country.

There was a fair number of Leaf shinobi who was unhappy with the war, but Danzou's mercilessness ensured their cooperation. It had become a game of survival for most of the Konoha shinobi. They either obeyed or they disobeyed and suffer the consequences. Danzou had no qualms about using one's family as a threat or sending out hunternins to execute the runners.

Sakura's thoughts stalled as she came to the end of her journey. A single storey building, timber framed and clad as with most of the buildings in Spring Country, stood before her.

When she stepped the building which housed both the hospital and her research department, Sakura nodded a greeting at the receptionist at the desk. Standing in front of the desk was a new genin, a boy Sakura had patched up more than once, even though that was not strictly her job description here.

"Good morning, Haruno-san," he greeted with a smile. "In so early today?"

"I woke up early, so I thought I might as well come in." She raised a brow at him. "So, Kane-kun, are you're in here for treatment or are you on duty?" she teased the accident-prone genin.

The boy grimaced. "On guard duty. Sensei thought since I spend so much time in here, I should be the one doing it."

Sakura fought to keep her face straight. "Ah. So where are the rest of your teammates?"

"One at the back exit, and the other one patrolling the grounds." He scowled. "And Sensei's probably back in bed by now."

"Surely not," Sakura muttered, instantly recalling another lazy sensei.

The sound of some commotion behind her made her turn around, and her brows rose at the sight which greeted her through the open doors. Medics began to rush out, shouting terse instructions at each other. It looked like some sort of emergency.

Kane had rushed out of the door to help them. Several medics were hovering anxiously around a wooden cart, while one yelled out for stretchers. Through the door, Sakura could just make out five pale figures wrapped up in thick blankets squeezed into the cart. Even from this distance, she could tell that they were very ill.

The weak sound of a child's cry drew her attention away from them, and she looked beyond the cart to see a bald man in profile, his face almost obscured by a brown scarf, leaving only his dark eyes visible. In his arms was an obviously sick dark-haired girl, her body wracked with shivers even though she was wrapped up snugly in some thick woven material.

"Nii-chan, I feel bad," the girl cried out, turning large dark eyes which were almost identical to the man's upwards.

"The medics will heal you, Kana-chan," the man assured her in a deep calm voice. Sakura assumed the man must be her brother, or a close relative.

The girl grimaced, but she nodded. "What about Baa-chan?"

"Don't worry about her now," he told her.

The stretchers arrived, and the patients from the cart were loaded onto them. For a moment, Sakura deliberated if she should lend a helping hand. The medic in her urged her to do so, but it looked as if the Yugakure medics had everything under control. They should be able to handle things without her interference.

Besides, if they needed her, they knew exactly where to find her, she thought as she walked deeper into the building, making a beeline for her research laboratory. The slight feeling of guilt was unmistakable as she moved away from the scene, making her sigh dejectedly. She had gone behind Danzou's back and helped trained some of the medics, simply because they sorely needed it. And now, she felt as if she was abandoning them. But she knew that it had to be done, because eventually, when Danzou pulled her out of this country, they would have to cope all by themselves.

Once she reached her laboratory, she closed the door behind her and went to the purpose of her posting in Yugakure.

Shinjutama.

She stopped in front of the wooden rack holding two vials containing pea-sized fragments of the gemstone. The fragments gleamed a pearlescent blue, staring back at her almost accusingly, and she grimaced in return.

Pushing aside her personal distaste for her task, she began to work on the fragments, handling them delicately with her chakra-infused hands. She had learnt the hard way that the consequences were not pretty when they were handled incorrectly. It had taken her a lot of effort to heal herself when it had gone wrong.

Her mind drifted off as she worked.

If only things were different.

Her chest twisted in sorrow as she thought of the situation with Tsunade and Konoha. Her shishou had never woken up after Pein's attack on Konoha, even though those who apparently were dead had been revived in a matter of minutes. Tsunade had remained motionless on the dirty sheets they had laid on the ground no matter what the medics did. All their skills had not been enough to rouse her.

And then she had disappeared. One day, Tsunade had been in the makeshift hospital, and the next, she was gone, along with Shizune. Sakura knew what had happened. Hell, all of them suspected that Danzou had a hand in it, but one simply did not accuse a Hokage of such things if one valued their life and their families.

Sakura's hands clenched into fists as she stared blankly down at them. The one thing that kept her going strong was the knowledge that the rest of Team Kakashi, two now highly wanted missing nins, and another a spy in Konoha, were getting closer to tracking down Tsunade. She could not wait for that day to arrive. She could not wait until she could be with them again.

Until now, she could still remember what had led them to their current statuses. The memories returned to her as if it had just happened yesterday, not more than a year ago.

…_The official waiting room in the Suna administrative building was spacious and opulent, obviously designed with the comfort of the occupants in mind, as well as providing a subtle reminder of Suna's wealth under Sabaku no Gaara's leadership. Richly embroidered tapestries lined the walls, a great contrast with the bland sandy façade of the building on the outside. The floor was carpeted in woven rugs in red and gold. Pedestals with statues of mythical creatures from Suna's history were strategically scattered around the room, providing the occupants with something to fix their attention on and to admire. All that was finally bathed in a gentle light from the scones of fire hung from the walls. _

_She looked up as the double door to the room opened. Opposite her, Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto turned in that same direction as Sai walked through the door, a vacant smile on his face. A Sand chuunin followed behind him. _

"_That was fast," she commented. _

"_There is no need to remain there any longer," Sai said, and then looked a little confused. "Perhaps I should have remained to conduct a certain amount of social pleasantry?" _

"_No!" she quickly protested, while Naruto snorted beside her. _

_Frankly, the idea of Sai trying to be friendly with the Kazekage was quite horrifying. Gaara would certainly not take it well. She shook her head in exasperation as Sai gave her an even more confused look. He was still clueless about human relations, but one had to give Sai points for effort. _

"_It's okay, Sai," Kakashi said with a straight face. And then he patted the space on the couch beside him. "Just sit down." _

"_Haruno-san? The Kazekage is prepared to see you now." _

_Sakura stood up and nodded at the Sand chuunin. "Thank you." _

_Once the chuunin had left the room, Sakura turned back to her three teammates, who were resting in various poses on the couches. Kakashi gave her an eye-crinkle, Sai wasn't even looking at her now, his attention diverted to the statue of some kind of bird and Naruto was beaming his encouragement. _

"_Don't worry, Sakura-chan! Gaara is nice," Naruto declared, raising a thumb at her._

_She almost rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. He's a changed man."_

_That did not mean she wanted to be alone in a room with him, though. There was still something very intimidating about the red-headed leader of the Hidden Village of Sand. _

"_Why can't he see us as a team?" she muttered._

"_He said it's more secure like this. Something about a new protocol," Naruto replied, frowning. _

"_Less likely to be assassinated," Sai supplied. _

"_I doubt it's easy to assassinate him in the first place," Kakashi murmured. Then, raising a brow at her, he added, "Hurry up, Sakura." _

_Sighing, she walked out of the room and joined the waiting chuunin outside. She followed the chuunin to the Kazekage's office. As they approached, she saw the familiar figure of Kankurou leaning against the wall next to the door. She had not seen a familiar face since they had arrived a couple of hours ago. _

_Pleased to see him, a smile appeared on her face. "Kankurou," she greeted. "I was wondering where you were."  
_

_Waving the chuunin away, the Kazekage's brother chuckled. "Here. Where else?" He sobered slightly before adding, "With the uncertain situation with the shinobi villages these days, I prefer to stay near Gaara."_

_She grimaced, thinking of how the change in leadership of one village had disturbed the balance of things so drastically. "I know what you mean. Things are getting from bad to worse, and that's not only in Konoha." _

"_Well, at least you're not stuck there." _

"_Thanks to your Kazekage," she said with a grin. _

"_He figured it would be bad for you all. It's the least he could do considering what your team has done for us. Unfortunately, he has not been able to convince Danzou to let the other team come." _

"_Team Gai?"_

_Kankurou nodded, and then he nudged towards the door to the Kazekage's office. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?" _

"_Okay."_

_Sakura waited silently as Kankurou knocked on the door. _

"_What is it, Kankurou?" came the response from within. _

"_Gaara, Haruno Sakura is here."_

_When an assent came from within, Kankurou turned the doorknob and swung the door open. "Go on in."_

_She took a step into the Kazekage's office, and his form came into view. His head was bent over some scrolls, hiding his face, and it did not look as if he was planning on acknowledging her anytime soon, she thought, slightly annoyed. However, he was the Kazekage, and therefore she had to behave accordingly._

_So she stood and waited._

_And waited. _

_She bet Kakashi, Naruto and Sai had not waited anywhere near this long for the Kazekage to begin speaking. Naruto would not allow it. Her blonde friend was too outspoken. Then again, no one knew how the rest of the meetings had gone apart from the participants, because only one person was allowed into the room at each time._

_Her eyes flicked impatiently at her watch and then back at the silent man sitting behind the desk. When she was almost at the end of her patience, he finally looked up and blinked. He looked the same as before, with his cool jade eyes and his short maroon hair. It seemed that being the Kazekage tempered him somewhat, for he now lacked the bloodthirsty aura which had once surrounded him. _

"_Haruno Sakura," he intoned slowly, his voice much deeper than she had remembered. _

"_Kazekage-sama."  
_

_He inclined his head. "I assume you've been briefed about the issue at hand. Is there a problem?"  
_

_Her brows furrowed in confusion. "With all due respect, Kazekage-sama, I've just arrived a couple of hours ago but no one briefed me on anything." _

_Annoyance flared from him as he stood up, and for some reason, Sakura felt as if she should take a step back. She did not envy whoever it was that was supposed to brief her. _

"_Useless," he muttered._

_His condescending tone grated at her. She would not open her mouth, Sakura insisted in her mind despite her growing annoyance. Gaara was the Kazekage, and she should be happy that she was here instead of who-knew-where Danzou had planned on sending Team Kakashi before Gaara's message had arrived. She suspected that the Kazekage had only requested their team because of Naruto. Like all other countries, he must have heard of what had happened. This request for Team Kakashi was probably the only thing he could do to help them without sparking an international incident. _

"_Haruno."_

_Her eyes snapped towards him. The look of displeasure on the Kazekage's face told her that he had noticed her momentary lapse into the realm of memories. _

"_Pay attention," he told her flatly. _

_She nodded. "My apologies, Kazekage-sama." _

"_I will explain your purpose here."_

_A frown marred her brows. "I thought-"_

_He held up a hand, stopping her words mid-flow. "Unlike the rest of your teammates, you're actually here to work."_

_His tone made her bristle for some reason, even though he did not say anything wrong. However, Sakura kept her mouth pressed firmly shut. _

_The Kazekage continued, "Several crates of unidentified vials were found during a routine cleaning operation, and they clearly contain poison. We need you to synthesize antidotes for these."_

_She blinked, digesting his words before saying, "You don't know where they are from?"  
_

"_I suspect they once belonged to Sasori." _

"_Oh."_

_The Kazekage turned back to his scroll and picked up a pen. "You understand now why you're appropriate for the task?"_

_She had firsthand experience getting rid of such poison back when she had treated Kankurou, so she supposed she could agree. "Yes, Kazekage-sama." _

_He scribbled something on the scroll before him and said without looking up, "Be at the research facility at nine tomorrow morning. The head of the department will give you the details." _

_She nodded. "I will be there."_

_Silence descended upon them then, and Sakura wondered if it would be rude to simply wave goodbye and walk out of the room. The Kazekage seemed to have forgotten that she was there, as absorbed as he was in his writing. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic scratching of pen against paper. _

_Then the scratching sound stopped, and he looked straight at her, almost making her jump in surprise. _

"_I also wish to thank you personally for your work several months ago."  
_

"_Eh?" She blinked in confusion. "What?"_

_The Kazekage's expression flashed with impatience. "You saved Kankurou's life."_

_Comprehension dawned. "Oh. You're welcomed," she responded, a little embarrassed. _

"_You're invited to dinner at our residence tonight."_

_Sakura blinked. Now that was unexpected. Still this was the Kazekage, so she could not really refuse. So she nodded._

"_Seven. Don't be late." After a pause, he added, "Temari appreciates punctuality."_

_She hesitated before saying, "My team-"_

"_I invited them as well." A pause followed, and then Gaara remarked dryly, "Your team played a part in my rescue, after all." _

_Rather relieved by the fact that she would not be alone there, she smiled a little. "We will be there, Kazekage-sama."_

_He inclined his head. "You may leave now."_

_And with that, Sakura bowed and backed out of the room. As she was making her way back to the rest, it occurred to her that things could be worse. At least they were out of Konoha, spared from watching Danzou turn their beloved village upside down. She only wished that the rest of her friends were here with her. _

_She gritted her teeth. Yes, she was angry, but she also knew that there was nothing she could do at the moment. There was nothing they could do until they found Tsunade. And when they did, they would take Konoha back from that bastard Danzou. _

_But she did not expect the next thing that happened. _

_It was barely two weeks later that Sakura stood in her bedroom in Suna, staring at Kakashi in disbelief. She could not have possibly heard Kakashi correctly. Even Naruto seemed stunned. As for Sai, Sai just stared thoughtfully at the Copy Nin. _

"_You want to do what?" she choked out. _

"_He wants us to run," Sai supplied, deadpanned. "It is tactically sound." _

"_Tactically sound?" Sakura echoed shrilly. "What the hell are you talking about?" _

_Running a hand through his silver mop of hair, Kakashi sighed wearily. "We don't have any other options. If we return to Konoha, then Danzou will definitely split us up and ship us out. This mission is our last one together, according to Shikamaru's sources. Apparently, someone advised Danzou that it's unwise to keep us together." _

"_Some bastard advisor," Naruto growled. "Must be those wrinkled elders." _

"_And if we're not together, we can't really work as a team looking for Tsunade," Sakura groaned dejectedly. "So Danzou suspects us?" _

"_That's what he's thinking, most likely. It's obvious that we're the most likely team to revolt," Kakashi agreed. "If we return to Konoha, we won't be able to continue the search." _

"_I guess we can't go back then," Naruto muttered, frowning slightly. His countenance was far more serious than usual, but then again, this was a very serious issue. "Someone has to find Baa-chan." _

"_But where would we go?" she asked worriedly._

_Kakashi gave her a long look, one which warned her that she would not like what he would say next. _

"_What is it?" she asked nervously. _

_He told her quietly. "You won't be going, Sakura."_

_Sakura sucked in a sharp breath at his proclamation, and even Sai looked surprised. What did Kakashi mean, she would not be going? Was this not a team effort? _

"_WHAT!" Naruto cried out indignantly. "Why not? We need Sakura!"_

_She gave Naruto a grateful look, even as her mind whirred with the implications of Kakashi's words. He could not be leaving her behind because she was weak, that much she knew. But it still stung, whatever the reason was. _

"_I'm not saying we don't need her. But she needs to stay here."_

"_Why?" she asked through gritted teeth. "It's not like Danzou expects me to stay behind when the rest of you disappears."_

_Kakashi sighed. "Shikamaru suspects that Danzou needs you for something important. The old man had been going through everyone's files, but yours caught his interest, it seems. He's been asking all sorts of questions, and your time has been blocked off. Something about needing you at full capacity," he explained. "Besides, the Kazekage needs you here to set up that new poisons division. But Naruto, Sai and I are not so fortunate. Anything the Kazekage could come up with now will sound contrived to Danzou's ears. He wouldn't buy it." _

_Sakura grimaced. Just because Suna had a genuine need for assistance in the research department, Gaara had been able to negotiate a prolonged contract for her to remain there. However, Kakashi, Naruto and Sai had supposedly completed the fictitious task Gaara had originally contracted them for. Which led to the missive they had received this morning demanding Kakashi's, Naruto's and Sai's return to Konoha. _

_Of course, now, the three male members of Team Kakashi had no intention of doing so. _

"_But you can't just not go back!" she cried out, knowing that she sounded desperate but not caring. "You'll be missing nins!"_

_Kakashi's expression was grave. "It is necessary, Sakura. Danzou will put a leash on all of us once we return to Konoha. And you know that will seriously hamper our efforts."_

_Sakura told herself to remain calm, even though inside, she felt like screaming. Okay, fine, she understood why they had to leave. She just had to go along with them, then. _

"_I think I'd better come with you. Besides, you will need a medic more than ever if you're thinking of becoming missing nins." _

_Kakashi shook his head regretfully. "No, Sakura. There's another reason for it. Considering Danzou's particular interest in you, he will probably stop at nothing to hunt you down. We can't afford that sort of attention."  
_

"_He will send Hunter-nins after you anyway!" Sakura snapped irritably. "What difference does it make?"  
_

_Kakashi sighed heavily. "It's different. Danzou don't need us for anything. He'll be glad to get rid of us, I suspect." _

"_And Naruto? You mean to tell me Danzou will just let Naruto go? He's a jinchuuriki!" _

"_Danzou knows he can't control Naruto." _

"_Yeah," Naruto agreed, eyes flashing. "There's no way I'll follow the bastard's orders." _

_Sakura groaned, slapping a palm against her forehead. She could not believe this was actually happening. _

"_Besides, you could be our informant," Sai pointed out. "A backup in case Shikamaru is indisposed." _

"_But I'm the last person Danzou would trust!" she protested. _

"_Don't worry, that's not what you need to do, Sakura. With luck, we will have another informant," Kakashi told her. "Sai will return to Konoha, and hopefully back to his previous status." _

"_I am?" Sai muttered, blinking. _

_Kakashi gave him a pointed look. "Yes. You'll take care of things on the Root end."_

_Sakura gaped. "But Danzou…"_

"_Sai will convince him that he refused to run." Naruto turned to the dark haired shinobi. "Right, Sai?" _

_Sai nodded._

_Even more worried now, she glanced back and forth between them. "This is dangerous. You know that, right? Two of you out there as missing nins… I can't even imagine what it's going to be like." Inhaling deeply before she turned to Sai, she asked, "And what if Danzou finds out you're lying?" _

_Sai stared at her for a moment, and then said blandly, "I've been trained in subterfuge." _

_Sakura gave him a pained smile. _

_Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders, staring straight into her eyes. "Sakura-chan. You know that Danzou is using all sorts of dirty tricks to keep the rest of Konoha shinobi in line. No one dares to step out of line."_

"_Shikamaru's taking a lot of risk as it is, but Danzou is not so foolish as to get rid of the best strategist Konoha ever produced. But he's keeping Shikamaru on a tight leash." _

"_Can't Shikamaru figure a way out of this?" she asked._

_Kakashi nodded. "He already did. We just need to find Tsunade. That's the first plan of action. _

_Sakura sagged. They were right. The kunoichi in her told her that this was the only option right now. Their priority was to locate and save Tsunade. So, no matter how lonely it was going to be, she knew that she had to do her part. _

"_I hate to say this, but you're right," she admitted. Eyes running over Kakashi, Naruto and Sai, she continued, "I want you all to promise me that you won't take unnecessary risks, okay?"_

_They nodded, but Sakura could tell that it was an empty promise. _

_For she knew that they would do whatever it took to retrieve Tsunade…_

"Haruno-san?"

The tentative voice reached her, breaking into her contemplations. Sakura looked up from the vials of pearlescent gemstone fragments to find a young trainee medic standing at the open doorway.

The girl was not the only trainee in the place. In fact, most of Yugakure was made up of newly trained shinobi, as part of Kobayashi's desperate attempt to create the fighting power needed to push back Konoha's attack. The retired Yugakure shinobi who had survived Hidan's massacre many years ago also had their statuses reinstated for the purpose of training the new recruits for the war. The inhabitants of the former shinobi village had lived too long as civilians. Therefore, predictably, several months of intensive training had not been enough to hold off the well-trained forces of Konoha.

"Haruno-san?" she called out again, stepping into the laboratory.

"Yes, Keisa-chan?"

The Yugakure trainee medic replied, "There's a medical envoy heading out to one of the outskirt villages. The village messenger reported some kind of outbreak. He already brought the more severe cases here, but there are more in the village. Tanaka-san wants to know if you could go along to provide some help."

Sakura blinked, recalling what she had seen earlier at the door. And then she glanced back down at the vials. Although such things were definitely not part of her orders from Danzou, she knew that she could not say no. Her task could wait, but an emergency outbreak wouldn't. Still, she had to know what she would be getting herself into.

So she turned back to the young trainee. "How far is this village?"

"Half a day's travel or so. It is not an unpleasant journey." Keisa fidgeted a little, averting her eyes. "It is close to where you travel to each week."

At that revelation, Sakura's lips parted in surprise. Each week, she would travel to a certain cave where the Shinjutama was located. There, she would gather as much as her chakra allowed, before bringing them back to Yugakure to work on it. The journey was not unpleasant, but the weekly repetition was tedious. If she had known there was a village nearby, it would save her a lot of travelling time because she could use it as some sort of base.

"I didn't realize there was a village nearby."

"Not many do. I didn't either, until a while ago." Keisa hesitated for a while before saying, "There are a number of villages in this country which had been blessed with the Shinju clan's protection centuries ago, when their blood purity was at its strongest. So long as the Shinju blood still exists, the jutsu will remain in effect, keeping the village from detection unless one was invited to it. I don't even know exactly where this one is. Those villagers tend to keep to themselves. I'm certain most of them were not even aware of the war going on."

"I see." Keisa's explanation was interesting, albeit confusing. Sakura did not know that the Shinju clan was capable of such feat. But they were diverting from the topic. "How long do I need to be there?"

"Several days, I'd say. The messenger said no one knew what was causing the outbreak, so it'd take some time to locate the source."

That should be alright, then, Sakura thought. She was not due in Suna until next week. She missed the familiar faces of those in Suna, but she did not look forward to making her report to the shinobi Danzou would send to collect her report in Suna.

Yes, Suna. Not Konoha, Sakura thought with a bitter twist of her lips. She had not set a single foot in Konoha ever since she had been sent out to Suna more than one year ago. And now that she was based even further in Yugakure, she had to venture out monthly to Suna to present her report. As part of a deal Danzou made with Suna, she provided regular assistance to Suna in exchange for a room there for Danzou's Root operative to collect materials and report from Sakura. Unfortunately, the Root operative was not Sai.

And of course, this arrangement kept her away from Konoha, something Danzou seemed particularly keen on. She suspected that Danzou simply did not want her there because of her relationship with Tsunade. He would not want the rest of them to be reminded of their missing Godaime, would he?

"Haruno-san?"

Keisa's voice brought her back to the present. Smiling slightly at her, Sakura said, "Tell them I'll meet them in an hour at the main gates."

With that, Sakura carefully set aside her work and left the laboratory. Quickly, she returned to her guest house at the edge of the village. It did not take her long to pack some essentials for the trip, just enough for a few days. When she was done, she went straight to the gates.

The team of medics turned around when she approached. They were obviously happy to see her, and Sakura smiled back. Funny how just four months at the village was enough for them to accept her in their midst. Then again, these were the medics she had personally trained since she had arrived.

Still, it had not always been that way. When she had first arrived, they were truly suspicious of her. The hostility had not been easy to take, but it was completely understandable. Fortunately, they had eventually warmed towards her.

She was about to open her mouth to greet them when she caught sight of him.

And her steps stilled.

It was the man from the front of this hospital earlier, the man who had been carrying his little sister or cousin, but this time, he was facing her so she could see his features clearly. The man was average-build and his head was clean shaven, but from the dark shadow on his head, she guessed that he had dark hair once. He wore clothing which were typical of the villagers here; a thick woven cloak thrown over a loose top with long pants and soft leather boots. She could not detect any form of developed chakra from him, but that was not surprising, since he was a civilian.

Sakura did not know what it was, but something about him made her stop and look. Maybe it was the intensity of his gaze, which bordered on being uncomfortably intrusive.

She studied him for a while longer, and then it hit her.

This man reminded her a little of the long-deceased Uchiha Itachi, she thought with no small amount of alarm. Like a ghost. Only this ghost looked somewhat different from the Uchiha Itachi she had known, not that she was an expert at what the deceased Uchiha looked like. She had only faced him once, after all. And she had been trying hard _not _to look at him then, so that she did not get caught in his Sharingan.

This man was shaven, whereas Uchiha Itachi had long hair. This man also looked younger, a lot healthier and more filled out than the pale, almost gaunt Uchiha. Then there were his eyes, which were dark, and she had only ever seen Uchiha Itachi with his Sharingan at full blaze. Something about how the Uchiha was practically blind, she recalled Kakashi saying once.

She gave herself an inward shake, feeling a little ridiculous. What the hell was she doing, comparing this villager with a dead Akatsuki? It was just a coincidence, nothing more. Dark hair and dark eyes were not uncommon in those lands, and so what if this one looked like someone she had only seen once before?

Still, she could not shake the wariness and suspicion his appearance seemed to generate in her. Her instincts seemed to be setting her on full alert, but for what? This man was not even a shinobi.

"Haruno-san! Thank you for coming at such short notice."

Her attention thankfully diverted, Sakura turned to Tanaka Yoshi, the head of the Yugakure medical department, smile firmly fixed to her face. She had learnt that when it came to foreign relations, it was best to smile and be genial in most situations. Tsunade had sent her on enough of these 'build-a-good-relation-with-Konoha's-allies' trips for her to know that such things worked. Even though Danzou was ruling Konoha now, it did not mean that she had to neglect such things and ruin Konoha's image.

"I hope I'd be of assistance, Tanaka-san," she said to the grey-haired shinobi.

"I'm sure you will." Gesturing at the shaven man, Tanaka continued, "Let me introduce you. This is Nakamura Itsuki. Nakamura-san came to us with the distressing news that there's an outbreak of illness in one of the outskirt villages."

She nodded at Nakamura, trying to ignore his piercing gaze. The urge to be on fully on defense was strong, even though she realized just how ridiculous she was behaving. The man was not threatening her in any way.

Yoshi added, "I wish I could come, but someone needs to head up the department here. You'll be fine leading the team?"

Sakura blinked. Leading the team? Now this was not what she had expected. "But-"

"I'm sure Tsunade had sent you on many of these trips."

The mention of Tsunade surprised her. "You know our Hokage?" she asked.

Tanaka's smile turned a little sad. "Well, we took our chuunin exam in the same year. That happened a long time ago, when Yugakure was still a proper shinobi village. And we've kept in touch over the years. It's truly sad that she has gone missing."

"Yes, it is," Sakura murmured in a small voice.

Visibly brushing aside his melancholy, Tanaka cleared his throat. "Now, you're her apprentice, and I'm sure you're fully capable of this task."

Knowing that she was truly cornered, Sakura sighed. "Alright. I'll lead the team."

Tanaka beamed. "Good. Now, I'll leave the medics in your capable hands."

Capable, indeed, Sakura thought as she turned to face the questioning expressions of the medics.

"So, let's make a move, shall we?"

As she turned to walk off, her gaze skimmed over Nakamura a little too quickly. Her feeling of unease was not subsiding at all, but this was not the time to think about that. There was a medical emergency and that was what she should concentrate on at the moment.

000

* * *

000

He had not expected this.

Itachi slanted a sideway glance at the foreign kunoichi walking alongside a Yugakure medic, her head now lowered to listen to the words of the shorter, purple-haired kunoichi. She was fully immersed in their discussion, leaving him free to study her.

The symbol carved on the surface of the shiny metal above her head was unmistakable.

He had only seen it once, just when he had regained consciousness a year ago. His memory did not fault him, it was the same one. He knew that he should recognize it, but he did not. A swirl with a pointed corner, a symbol completely different from those worn by the Yugakure shinobi.

He needed to find out about it without being too obvious.

Perhaps this was fate. He had been reluctant to make this journey, to expose himself to the shinobi of Yugakure, but the villagers had been desperate. And none of them had wished to leave the sanctuary of the village, especially since the war. Most of them had not ventured out of the village over the past one year, knowing that the village's protection would keep them safe. However, there had been less than a handful who had risked a trip or two for crucial supplies, enough to gather news about their shinobi village's defeat to a larger country.

Itachi wondered if the pink-haired kunoichi was a shinobi of the other country. And if so, why was she there, providing assistance? It did not make sense.

His attention returned to the engraving upon the shiny metal. Was that where he had hailed from originally? Was that why his memory had briefly graced him with the image.

So far, the situation was not discouraging, for the pink-haired kunoichi did not seem to recognize him outright, even though there was a glimmer of surprise and suspicion in her expression when she regarded him. That, in itself, was most revealing.

He noted that she was young. There was an innocent air about her, which suggested that she was less likely to continue to be suspicious of him. She might able to supply him with an answer, but he knew that he had to tread carefully. It would not serve his purpose if she grew even more wary of him.

The foreign kunoichi and the Yugakure medic conversed for a while longer, and then the latter walked ahead to join her other two colleagues. It left him and the pink-haired kunoichi walking together, albeit with a gap between them.

It was not long before she moved closer to him, closing the gap between them. For a long while, they simply walked without speaking to each other. Still, Itachi could sense that she was attempting to engage him in conversation and was most likely considering what she should say.

"Is the village much further?" she finally asked.

"Merely three more hours of travel," he replied smoothly.

"I see."

Another bout of silence descended upon them, and Itachi wondered if he should subtly interrogate her about the engraved metal she wore on her head. However, before he could do so, her voice reached him.

"Can you describe what ails the villagers?" she asked in a careful, almost wary tone.

Itachi nodded. "It began three days ago. The elderly had fallen ill first, followed by the children. All those affected are bedridden."

"The high-risk groups," she murmured thoughtfully, the earlier hint of wariness now absent. "Can you describe their symptoms?"

"Difficulty in breathing, vomiting, shivering, and there are rashes on their skin."

She frowned. "It sounds like some sort of infection or poison."

"It is not poison," he declared with full certainty. He would have known if it was poison, for he had investigated.

"And why are you so sure it's not?" she questioned, sounding a little disgruntled.

"It is simply not poison," he reiterated calmly.

She darted an indignant look at him. "And I suppose you're an expert at poisons?" she asked dryly.

"There is no need to take offence, kunoichi-san."

To his amusement, his words seemed to unsettle her further, for her emerald eyes flashed before she said tightly, "I'm not offended."

Itachi refrained from commenting. He had not set out to agitate her, but the kunoichi was obviously highly-strung, for reasons he could not understand. That voice at the back of his mind, a voice he had grown used to over the past year, told him that such behavior was highly disadvantageous for a shinobi. Emotions caused weakness. However, he refrained from pointing the fact out to this particular kunoichi. It would not do to antagonize her further, not if he wished to obtain more information from her.

"The village is self-supporting and there are no external influences, especially recently," he elaborated slowly. "It is doubtful that any poison could make its way into the village."

Her brows furrowed in thought as she deliberated upon his words. And then, a little reluctantly perhaps, she nodded. "Fine. That sounds acceptable. What do you think had happened then?"

"An infection could have been carried into the village months ago and perhaps had lain dormant till now," he suggested.

"Yes, that's probably the case." A thoughtful pause followed, and then she asked, "Do you know who had travelled out of the village and where? Any recent trips will do."

Itachi nodded. He tended to escort them a short distance away from the village and then left them to their own devices. "A young boy left to purchase some foreign medication several months ago. There was also an elderly woman who left with her husband to visit their relatives in Wind Country."

"I'll need to see them."

"They are all waiting in the village." He watched her carefully as he continued, "The war had ensured that none of us leave its protection unless necessary."

She grimaced briefly, but what was more interesting was the flash of anger mingled with disgust which crossed her expression. Itachi wondered why she should react in such a manner.

"Yes, war is rather unpleasant, isn't it?"

Her words were neither here nor there. Deciding to probe further, he asked, "Were you involved?"

She did not meet his eyes. "Indirectly, yes. Many shinobi are involved."

"I have not seen other foreign shinobi."

She shrugged carelessly, eyes still not meeting his. "Your village is safe from detection. I understand that it's under some form of protection."

Before he could ask another question, she turned to him. "Sorry to cut this short, but I just remembered something I need to discuss with the rest of the medic."

Without waiting for his response, she strode forward to join the rest of the envoy, leaving him staring at her back contemplatively.

Itachi was not stupid. He could recognize a retreat when he saw it, and the kunoichi had just withdrawn as if hounds were after her.

The question was why.

000

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000

A/N: That's it for now. Hope you've enjoyed that. As always, please review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright. Please note that many things about Spring Country and Yugakure are made up, and non-canon.

A/N: Thanks for your encouraging reviews. The link to the piccy of Itachi shaven is in my profile, if you're interested! :smiles:

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 3**

Itachi watched carefully as the four foreign shinobi went about the village, tending to the ill. As he had suspected, it was an infection which had spread around by some means, not poison.

Haruno Sakura, the pink-haired kunoichi, was the one in charge of organizing what Itachi suspected were the less experienced group of Yugakure medics. The reason for their lack of experience became clear when he had overheard their conversation on the way to the village.

Yugakure had only been reinstated as a shinobi village less than a year ago, a hasty decision which had been made because of the war. Kobayashi Hikari, their leader, had been pressured into the decision when it became clear that Spring Country had no other defense to speak of.

His eyes followed the pink-haired kunoichi as she went to one of the medics to correct what he was doing. Although she was relatively young, late teens at the most, he would guess, she exuded the confidence of someone who knew exactly what she was doing, at least when it was related to the medical field. Idly, he wondered if that healing was her only specialty.

Initially, he had thought to gain information from her by means of subtle interrogation. Once he had observed her in action, however, he realized that there was another avenue that he could explore. Haruno Sakura might be the key to the recovery of his memory without the need to expose himself to others beforehand. One of the Yugakure medics had heard a rumor that her skill was on par with her previous village leader's, who was apparently one of the legendary ninjas in the shinobi world.

If her reputation was anything to go by, then Itachi knew that he should make an effort to get closer to her, should the opportunity to request her assistance arise. It also needed to be carried out in a manner which did not raise her suspicion of him. He needed to come up with a strategy for that soon.

The only interaction they had so far was the brief conversation they had yesterday, on the way to the village, and if that conversation was anything to go by, it did not bode well for their future relations. She seemed far too wary of him, but he supposed he should not be surprised. He was a stranger, after all. And being an experienced shinobi, he gathered that she did not trust too easily.

Unless, of course, her wariness had stemmed from her recognizing him. The moment the thought occurred, he brushed it aside. If she truly recognized him, then why would she pretend otherwise? It made no sense for her to do so.

The main obstacle to his objective was her caginess around him. It would be wise for him to take steps to remedy that. She had to be made to view him as someone harmless and perhaps could be considered a friend. He had to ensure that she was exposed to him on a more frequent basis.

But how would he achieve such a thing? The kunoichi did not reside in this village. Instead, from what he understood, she was based in Yugakure.

Itachi frowned as he continued to mull over the dilemma, his eyes following a certain pink-haired kunoichi as he did so.

There must be a solution.

There always was one.

000

* * *

000

Two days had passed since she had arrived at the village to assist in the medical emergency and Sakura had finally traced the problem back to the young boy who had left to the village for some supplies a while back. It appeared that boy had caught a virus which had lain dormant in all these months, only activating when the cooler weather hit the country.

The problem was serious, but not something she and the rest of the medics could not fix. All it needed was some herbal concoction, a little healing chakra and a few days of bed rest. Yes, things were going fine in the village, and Sakura would be happy if not for one particular problem.

It had not escaped her notice that she was being watched. However, she could never catch the spy in the act.

Until now.

It was more luck than actual skill on her part.

She was in the marketplace, inspecting the trinkets for sale, wondering if she should get some to bring back to Suna, and perhaps ask whoever ANBU Root it was that came to see her to bring the gifts back to Ino and the rest. It was doubtful that the ANBU Root operative would agree to it though, since bringing back gifts to Konoha was not part of their orders.

She flitted from stall to stall, browsing their wares. Before long, she had felt the tiny pinprick of awareness which told her that someone was watching her. Surreptitiously, behind the veil of the hanging scarves, she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes focused on one particular stall, but she could not detect anyone suspicious. There was just the vendor there, selling his scrolls.

The sudden yells and gasps of surprise took her attention away for a brief moment, enough for her to spot the rapid approach of a couple of over-exuberant teenagers. Vendors and shoppers jumped aside quickly, avoiding them, but the vendor of the scroll was not so lucky.

One of the boys tripped and flew headlong into the stall, instantly knocking the flimsy wooden construction to the ground, much to the vendor's dismay.

Through the commotion, Sakura finally set eyes on her spy, and a chill ran up her spine. It was him Nakamura, the man who seemed to set her on edge even though he had done nothing outwardly to warrant such a reaction. Now, however, his action justified her instinctual wariness of him.

Her lips tightened in displeasure. There was no way she would just let this slide. Ignoring the outraged yells of the vendor and shouts from the defensive teenagers, she stalked towards the stall, her attention fixed on the familiar man. He had obviously noted her approach, and to Sakura's bewilderment, made no attempt to escape.

In fact, it looked as if he was simply waiting for her to reach him.

And reach him, she did. Stopping before him, she glared. The man did not even flinch, which maddened her further. He simply stared back at her with those unfathomable, deep eyes that looked freakishly like a certain Uchiha's, only black. Why was he doing this? Who did he think he was?

"Have you been stalking me all this time?" she demanded in a hiss. "All these days?"

There was a pause before he spoke. "No."

His blunt denial threw her a little, but she pressed on, "But you were watching me a second ago."

"Yes." His eyes were impassive when he studied her. And then, he remarked quietly, "There aren't many kunoichi in the area."

She blinked in astonishment, his words knocking the steam out of her instantly. So that was why he was watching her? The man was odd. It would somewhat explain why he was doing what he had been doing, but hell, it was creepy. Perhaps it was because he had been staying so long in this secluded village.

Slowly, she responded, "This is a civilian village. Of course you don't see many kunoichi around here. And Yugakure has only been reinstated as a hidden village. Come to Yugakure and you'll find many of us there."

"Hm."

The way his gaze swept over her made her feel even more edgy, and the urge to distance herself from him rose. And when his eyes landed on her hitai-ate, Sakura could not help but tense, bracing herself for his hostility. Most of the shinobi in Yugakure might have accepted her, having worked with her, but the rest of the country knew that Konoha had attacked them. It did not make for friendly relations.

"What does that signify?"

For a moment, his question did not register. She frowned. "I'm not sure I follow."

He reached out slowly, as if not to startle her. Still, she felt her entire body tense further. Reflexively, her chakra flowed to her hands in readiness. If he tried anything stupid, she would break off each and every one of his limbs.

And then he gave the metal of her hitai-ate a gentle tap.

"This engraving. What does it signify?" he asked calmly. "I assume it denotes your loyalty, for those in Yugakure have three slashes engraved upon theirs."

"Oh." The guy was simply curious, then? A long exhale followed before she replied, "It's the symbol of Leaf. The Hidden Village of Leaf, of Fire Country."

"Is it far from here?"

"Why are you asking?" she asked, feeling a prickle of unease at his question, her suspicion spiking again.

"I'm simply interested, kunoichi-san."

She frowned at him. "Stop calling me that. I have a name. Haruno Sakura."

His brow rose. "Indeed." A pause followed, and Sakura could almost swear that he was mocking her, even though there was no outward sign of it. "Haruno-san."

"Better," she muttered under her breath.

"You have not answered my question."

She blinked, recalling what he had asked. Deciding that there was no harm in telling him information he could have gotten anywhere, she replied, "Spring Country is quite far from Fire Country. We have the whole of Wind Country separating us. It would take several days to reach from here."

"You travelled far."

"Yes."

He nodded once and then fell silent, almost as if he was thinking.

The man was decidedly odd, Sakura thought as she regarded him warily. She still did not feel comfortable around him. There was something about him that did not seem right to her. It was best that she made her escape soon, and return to Yugakure. And hopefully, this would be the last she saw of him.

"Well, Nakamura-san, if that's all, there's somewhere else I need to be now."

Without a word, he stepped away from her, inclining his head slightly.

Returning the gesture, she walked past him and strode briskly away from the marketplace, all the time feeling his eyes on her back.

Creepy.

000

* * *

000

Itachi swept his gaze over the village from his vantage point on the observation tower which stood high above the rest of the village. The wooden structure had been built many years ago, like most of the other structures in the village, and was beginning to show its age. Perhaps if he was not a shinobi, he would be more reluctant to stand on the platform.

From there, he could see the roofs of each house, laid out in a haphazard pattern over the grounds, spreading out from a single focal point, the Shinjutama at the centre of the village. Most of the houses were surrounded by a bamboo fence, providing some privacy to its occupant. This was because of the small hotspring in their grounds. Apparently it was the norm in Spring Country, from what he had heard from the villagers when he had first arrived.

The village was once again tranquil after the commotion the shinobi had brought with them, especially following the arrival of more Yugakure shinobi, this time a team returning their healed elders and Kana. The medics and the jounin team had left yesterday, soon after his encounter with the Haruno kunoichi. He had not been able to glean much from her apart from the name and location where she had hailed from, but he knew that he could not press for more without raising suspicions.

Yet. Itachi knew that he needed more than that from her.

Idly, his mind still occupied with thoughts of the kunoichi and what was the most efficient method to extract her cooperation, he noted a figure approaching the village. It appeared to be Rin, one of the women residing there. He had not noticed when she had left the village, but then again, he had been preoccupied recently.

He stood there for a moment longer, considering his options as his gaze followed Rin until she entered the invisible village boundary. Taking his eyes away from her, he decided that there was one thing he could do. Based on the Yugakure shinobi's and pink-haired kunoichi's reactions to him, he was fairly certain that he could risk another trip to the shinobi hidden village.

With that thought, he descended the tower slowly instead of launching himself straight down, retaining the illusion that he was a civilian. Once at the bottom, he made his way to the Minamoto residence. It did not take long for him to arrive, and once there, he asked for the village head.

Minamoto Takai stepped out of his house with a smile on his face. "Itsuki-san! How may I help?"

"I'll be leaving the village later today for some supplies in the neighboring town."

Minamoto frowned, looking apprehensive. "The Yugakure shinobi told me that the war is over, but do you think it's wise to leave? I mean, that trip to Yugakure was an emergency…"

Itachi was amused. If only Minamoto knew that he was not the only one to leave the village. "There is no need to be alarmed, Minamoto-san. I will return in two days. Does the village require any supplies?"

The village head still looked unconvinced.

Itachi assured him, "Minamoto-san, you entrusted me with the village security. Do you not trust me to protect myself?"

Minamoto sighed in resignation. "That's true." After a pause, he said, "Well, none of the villagers told me about needing anything so far, but I'm sure the wife mentioned something. Come in while I ask her."

"I'll wait here."

Minamoto nodded and then walked back into the house. Itachi leaned lightly against the doorframe, staring at the tiled floor underneath his boots. While he waited, he caught snippets of conversation between the man and his wife.

He could not help but wonder if he had a life like this once, if he had a wife somewhere, wondering what had happened to him. However, it was unlikely since he was a shinobi. He simply did not think that it was wise for a shinobi to have such attachment. Most likely, he was alone on a mission and had been injured and left for dead.

Itachi's lips quirked when he realized where his mind had wandered. Occasionally, thoughts like this occurred to him, making him question the life he had lost to the absence of his memories. Inevitably, it led him to question if he truly wished to know who he was in that past life.

The need to know the truth, however, always prevailed.

He was broken out of his thoughts as Minamoto returned with his wife by his side. The woman smiled as she approached.

"Itsuki-san. I heard you're going to the town."

"Yes."

"Well, if you don't mind, could you bring me some sewing supplies?" She handed him a small slip of paper. "I have a list here. If you just go to the haberdashery store, they should be able to gather everything on this list."

Accepting the list from the woman who did most of the 'commercial' sewing in the village, Itachi murmured, "I will do so."

The woman clapped her hands together, eyes widened in recollection. "Oh! Rin mentioned last week she was out of black tea leaves. We should really grow some here. We tried once, but it didn't take. Wrong type of soil, I think. Maybe you could get a pack for her if you pass the tea shop."

"Perhaps she has obtained the tea leaves. She just returned."

She looked surprised. "Oh, I didn't know she left."

"She went out?" Minamoto asked, brows furrowed. "That woman has no sense!"

"Hm."

Her husband spoke next. "Forget the tea leaves then. If you have the opportunity, can you check in the bookstore for Hana's orders? She ordered some books for the children at the school."

"Is there anything else?"

"No." Minamoto's brows furrowed slightly. "Things being the way it is outside, post-war and all, do be careful. Though some people don't seem that worried anymore."

"Understood, Minamoto-san."

And with that, Itachi left the house and went back to his own. Once there, he threw on a travelling cloak and took some essential supplies, keeping it light, for he could not afford to be weighed down. He had to make it to Yugakure and then to the neighboring town in two days, which meant that he had to run most of the way.

Not long afterward, he was outside the protective boundary of the village.

He walked a considerable distance before he stopped to take note of his surroundings. To his approval, the coniferous forest was deserted apart from himself and the wild, harmless animals.

Only then did he perform a simple, but effective jutsu, changing his appearance to one of a Yugakure shinobi. The technique came effortlessly to him, but unfamiliar all the same. Although the knowledge was always there in his mind, this was the first time he had utilized it. He did not look like any particular person, but it would suffice for now. Once he neared Yugakure, he would disable one of their guards and adopt his identity.

Several hours later, Itachi found himself flattened against the large trunk of a conifer, his eyes trained on Yugakure's main gate. The village was surrounded by what appeared to be a new wooden boundary wall. Beyond the walls, he could see steam rising from several spots. Hot springs, he surmised as he continued to scan the area. The security was appallingly lax, possibly because they had just been reinstated as a shinobi village, but it was still inexcusable.

He studied the movements of the sentries, noting their expressions and the way they held themselves One of them would be his way in to Yugakure, but he has yet to decide which one. Preferably, it was someone who possessed characteristics familiar to him.

Soon, he narrowed his focus onto a male sentry. Chuunin, the title came to his mind unwittingly, and Itachi knew beyond doubt that his abilities far surpassed this sentry's. The realization was somewhat disconcerting, as with all these random facts he kept discovering about himself. Sometimes, he wondered if his mind simply needed a reminder, something to prompt him to recall a certain fact. If that was the case, then perhaps simple conversations with the Leaf kunoichi might trigger the return of his memories.

He waited until the shinobi left his post for a break, and then followed him at a discreet distance. The sentry wandered to a small wooden structure in the forest not far from the main gate, presumably a shelter the shinobi used for their breaks, and began to eat his packed lunch. The place was shielded from the rest of the guards, and was a perfect place for him to carry out his plan.

Itachi waited for him to finish before he stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

The sentry immediately tensed, jumping to his feet. "Who are you?" he asked suspiciously. "Why are you in our uniform?"

Wordlessly, Itachi darted forward, and in several swift moves, disabled the sentry. As the sentry lay unconscious, Itachi released the previous henge and replaced it with the appearance of this sentry. Performing another simple jutsu, he transformed a twig into a scroll. Then he lifted the Yugakure shinobi up and transported him further into the forest, lest another stumbled upon him.

Disguise complete, Itachi straightened and walked casually towards the main gate.

The three other sentries there waved at him as he passed them. One of them yelled, "Oi! Where are you going?"

Itachi gestured in the direction he just came from and held up the transformed scroll. "A foreign nin asked me to pass on a message. I'll be back in a while."

The sentry groaned. "Just hurry up, Kitaro. I want my break too."

Itachi nodded, and then walked through the gate, entering the compound of the Hidden Hot Water Village. His steps did not slow as he scanned his surroundings, taking in the possible exit points and the weakness in their defenses just in case he needed to make a swift escape. The buildings were generally low, single-storey timber structures. Shinobi milled around, laughing and talking, generally appearing so carefree that one would not even suspect that they had just lost a war not very long ago.

Itachi made his way to a lone kunoichi. Her attire suggested that she was another chuunin, and her posture betrayed her boredom as she leaned adjacent to the front door of a nondescript building.

"I have a message for Haruno Sakura," he announced when he reached her.

The chuunin blinked in confusion. "Who?"

"The Leaf kunoichi."

"Ah." The chuunin glanced around before returning her eyes to him. "I don't usually work in that sector, Kitaro-san. You know that."

Itachi did not. Without hesitating, he demanded, "So show me someone who knows where she is."

"Try the research department."

"Show me."

The chuunin rolled her eyes. "Fine. When the Kobayashi-sama finds out that I've left my post, I'll blame you for it."

With that, she walked away from her position, leaving Itachi to follow her. Even as he followed her, he could not help but marvel at the ease in which she had abandoned her post. It was truly unwise of her. Still, it was none of his concern how Yugakure's shinobi functioned.

Idly, he wondered how his own village functioned as a shinobi village. Its identity was still lost to him, but he suspected that there was a chance that he had once belonged to the Hidden Village of Leaf, though that then presented another question.

If he had lived in that village, then should the pink-haired kunoichi not recognize him? He might not look the same as he had done one year ago, but surely if he had been a regular presence in the Hidden Village of Leaf, the kunoichi would have made the connection between his absence from the village and the familiarity of his appearance.

Itachi shelved his thoughts to the back of his mind for further consideration when he stepped up the entrance stairs leading up to the door to the hospital. The chuunin spoke to a colleague of hers briefly, and then gestured for him to follow her.

"Research is back there. The Leaf nin's been working here in one of the labs," the chuunin explained. "Well, Saito said that we can't go further that the research department's lobby inside without clearance, but you should find someone there who can tell you where to find her." She gave him a sidelong glance. "What's so important about the message, anyway?"

Itachi shrugged carelessly.

She went on, "Well, I guess sentries at the gates do get a lot of messages to pass on, huh."

"Sometimes."

"Oh!" She gestured at an oncoming man who was dressed in the garb of a medic nin. "Hajime-san will probably know. Now I need to go before I get demoted!"

With that, the kunoichi made a hurried escape, leaving him to approach the medic nin. The young shinobi raised a brow at his presence.

"Everything okay, Kitaro-san?"

"Is Haruno Sakura around?"

"What do you need her for?"

"I have a message for her. A foreign nin gave it to me outside the gates."

"She's gone."

Itachi stilled. "Gone?" he prompted cautiously.

"It's that time of the month."

He blinked, uncertain what the medic meant by that statement. "Where is she?" he asked instead.

"Out of the village, making her report back to Konoha. I presume."

Konoha. The medic made it sound as if it was a monthly endeavor. He wondered what business could she have there, but brushed the question aside. It was irrelevant to his task. What was relevant was the fact that he could not make it to Konoha and back in one day.

"How do I get this message to her, then?

The medic shrugged. "Wait a few more days, or a week. She'll probably be back by then." After a pause, he asked curiously, "What's the message?"

"Confidential." Itachi took out a scroll. "It is secured."

"Ah. Well, you could always leave it in her place. She lives in the guest house next to Goro."

Goro. Itachi filed the name in his mind, not knowing if the information would be useful in the future.

Nodding at the medic, he excused himself, "I'd better get the message there then."

And with that, he strode away and left the hospital. He had no intention of going to her place at the moment, for it served no purpose. Another journey had to be taken in the future for him to pursue his questions.

Until then, he simply needed to be patient.

000

* * *

000

Sakura had spent the past week in Suna, checking up on the poisons division in the medical building. It was somewhat a pet project of hers, ever since the Kazekage had commission her for the task more than a year ago. Things were progressing well, much as she had expected. She even had spare time to spend with Gaara, Kankurou and Temari.

Now, if only everything else was progressing as smoothly.

Seated in one of the meeting rooms in the Suna administration building, she stared across the table at the expressionless shinobi opposite. She could not help but wonder if this shinobi actually have questions running through his head like Sai, or Sai was simply a special case because he had been corrupted by his assignment to Team Kakashi. The thought of it made her want to laugh, but she knew that if she gave in to the urge, this ANBU Root would probably report the incident back to Danzou.

He had inspected the vials she had brought carefully and was currently just about finished reading her reports. All the while, he had not said a single word, while she simply waited.

Finally, the blank-faced shinobi looked up. "It appears to be in order."

"I could have told you that," she muttered.

"However…"

Sakura braced herself for what she knew was coming. "Yes? What is it?"

He tapped one of the vials. "Danzou-sama expects a larger volume."

She ground her teeth together. "And I'll repeat what I've said the last few times, just in case he didn't get the message. This is the most I could extract in a month. Nothing more. I suspect you'll need a pure-blooded Shinju to get a better result."

The ANBU nodded. "It is noted."

She swallowed the snarl that threatened to escape. That was what the last ANBU Root had said as well. Ah well, at least she had the satisfaction of knowing that her lack of progress was partly deliberate. Danzou inspired no loyalty from her.

"Are we done?" she asked tersely.

"No."

"What else do you need?"

"Danzou-sama wishes to know of your progress with Suna's research facilities."

"It is progressing in accordance to the Kazekage's orders."

"Danzou-sama wants details."

"I see," Sakura ground out. The bastard just wanted to pry. She replied vaguely, "The poisons division is up and running now, but it needs occasional supervision. The medics here aren't trained fully yet."

The ANBU nodded. "I will relay that to the Hokage."

"I'm sure you will."

The ANBU stood up. "You are free to leave now."

About time, Sakura muttered in her head. Pushing back her chair, she stood up and walked out of the room without a single backward glance.

Now that that was over, she supposed she should return to Yugakure. She could not remain in Suna indefinitely.

Taking a short detour, she returned to the guest quarters and gathered her belongings before making her way to the administration building. When she arrived, she saw that Kankurou was there outside Gaara's office as usual, this time, seated cross-legged on the floor.

As she got closer, her attention shifted to a mangled pile of puppets beside him. "Been in a battle?"

Kankurou grinned. "No. Just some of Chiyo-baa-sama's puppets. I'm trying to put them back together."

"I see," she remarked softly, fondly recalling the Suna elder who had helped her defeat Sasori. "I think she'd be happy to see you taking such good care of them."

"We can only hope." His eyes landed on her belongings. "Leaving today?"

She nodded. "I stayed longer than usual this time. Imposed on you all long enough."

"It's no trouble. You know you're welcomed here."

Grinning, she said, "Thanks."

He nudged at the door. "Here to see him?"

Sakura nodded. "Just came to tell him that I'm leaving."

"Go ahead," Kankurou said.

She knocked on the door. "Gaara?" she called out.

At the sound of the Kazekage's call to enter, she pushed the heavy door open and stepped in. Gaara was seated in his customary position behind the desk, looking up as she approached. His expression betrayed nothing as usual, and his stare was still as penetrating as ever.

"All settled?" he asked.

Sakura grimaced, and then nodded. "But guess what? Danzou's not happy with the speed of my work. I pretty much told the messenger that they need a pure-blooded Shinju to do the job. Again."

"Hm."

"They won't have much luck finding one, I suspect. Isn't that line extinct?"

Gaara simply raised a brow at her, saying nothing.

"Well, aren't we talkative today," she muttered.

"There is no need for sarcasm, Sakura."

Feeling like a small kid who had been chastised by an adult, Sakura flushed. "My apologies, Kazekage-sama."

"Have I not told you that there is no need for such formality?"

She sighed, gesturing at nothing in particular. "Got it, Gaara. Better?"

He regarded her silently for a moment. "You're returning to Yugakure today?"

"That's the plan."

He nodded slowly fixing an intense stare on her. "Someone told me that the teahouse at the border between Wind and Spring Country is worth visiting," he told her quietly, nonchalantly.

Sakura frowned as she digested his words, and then her expression cleared when she comprehended his hidden meaning. Anticipation immediately coursed through her.

"I'll stop by if I have time."

Gaara nodded, looking back down at his scrolls.

She backed away from him, eager to get moving now that she knew what was waiting for her out there. "Well, same time next month then. Take care, Gaara. And thanks for your hospitality."

Without looking up, he raised a hand at her.

Taking that as Gaara's version of goodbye, she bowed slightly and left the room.

Kankurou looked up from his puppets when she closed the door behind her. "All done?"

"Yes. I'm heading back today."

"See you next month?"

"You can bet on it," she replied jovially. "Take care in the meantime. And tell Temari the same when she gets back from her mission. "

And with that, she walked out of the administration building.

Before long, she was back on the road, making a beeline for the border. She knew which teahouse Gaara was referring to. It was not one that she had visited before, but she would definitely do so this time.

000

* * *

000

Hatake Kakashi sat on the bench in one of the booths at the back of the teahouse, his single visible eye scanning the occupants of the room. Life as a missing nin over the past year had ensured that he checked and double checked for the presence of hunternins. It made life a little tedious, to be honest, but it had to be done. He had to keep him and Naruto free so that they could find Tsunade and bring her back to Konoha.

Naruto, the prankster who had grown to be one of the most reliable shinobi Kakashi had known in his life, was his constant companion over the past year. They had traversed countries, seeking clues and chasing leads on their Hokage. He had lost count of the number of times they had to escape hunternins, not to mention Danzou's ANBU Root. It had not been an easy year, but at least with Naruto around, there were often bouts of amusement, usually at the blond's expense, of course.

A flash of pink at the periphery of his vision broke into his contemplations and he turned slightly to see a figure that looked like Sakura step into the almost-empty teahouse. She was wearing a travelling cloak thrown over her jounin outfit, her eyes sweeping over the dimly lit teahouse, pausing briefly at each secluded booth. Kakashi subtly probed the chakra signature of its owner. When he was assured that it was who he thought it was, he raised a hand to catch her attention.

Sakura's face immediately stretched into a wide smile when she saw him, and she rushed over.

Kakashi only had a moment to brace himself before she threw her arms around him, almost knocking him off the bench. The warmth of her body seeped through their clothing, touching him. His arms tightened instinctively, glad to see that she was unharmed over the past year. If only things were a little different, she would be with them, instead of being left alone to fend for herself.

"I missed you," she murmured.

She snuggled against him, and the motion highlighted something that had not been there before. His eyes widened in alarm. It seemed that Sakura had filled out over the past year, and the fact that he could feel her curves unsettled him greatly. It made him feel like a world-class pervert.

Now what was the best way to extract himself?

"Uh," he grunted uncomfortably. "Yes, well… It has been a year."

Much to his relief, she detached herself and sat down opposite him, her eyes gleaming with emotion. "A year, and not a single word from the two of you," she scolded, and then she glanced around swiftly. "Where's Naruto, anyway?"

"Checking out another lead," he replied, pouring another cup of steaming hot tea and pushing it towards her.

Hope shone from her face. "You have leads?"

He nodded. "That's the reason I sent the message to Gaara. We might call on you soon." He gave her an eye-crinkle. "Also because I missed my favorite student, of course. It has been a while since I checked up on you."

Sakura rolled her eyes disbelievingly. It was most disrespectful, he thought, a little offended. She _was_ his favorite student out of all of them.

"So, where is she now?" she asked eagerly.

"We think she is still being moved from one place to another. But some are false trails. Danzou probably suspects I'm using my ninken, so he's been leaving Tsunade's things around," Kakashi rubbed at his forehead, just above the black fabric he wrapped over his Sharingan. His action dislodged the hood slightly, revealing his silver hair. "So sometimes, we ended up chasing traps."

Reaching forward, she pulled the hood back over his face to shield his features. "He's not taking any chances, is he?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Tsunade is too important. Konoha shinobi is loyal to her and if she returns, he will lose his place." A thoughtful look crossed his face then. "There's something not quite right about it, actually. Something Shikamaru mentioned a few months ago."

"What?"

"You won't like to hear this."

"What is it?"

"For a while, we wondered if Danzou had killed Tsunade-"

Sakura sharp inhalation of breath cut into his words. "No!"

Shaking his head, he went on, "But that was before Pakkun caught her scent. So we know she's alive."

"You said Danzou scattered her things," she pointed out.

"Pakkun found a new fresh trail a couple of months ago. It's too strong to be a secondary transfer." Kakashi frowned. "No. Shikamaru is wondering if Danzou is the one truly responsible for Tsunade's kidnapping."

A look of disbelief crossed her face. "Why?"

Kakashi shrugged. "He said some things didn't fit. He didn't have time to explain though."

Sakura lowered her eyes to the table, frowning in thought. Her hands went around the tea cup and she lifted it up for a sip.

"We'll get her back, Sakura," he told her quietly, but resolutely. Danzou needed to be ousted, and soon.

Placing the cup back on the table, Sakura hissed. "I can't wait for that to happen. What else?"

"Pakkun found the trail near a village. It has an apothecary. They had reported things missing from their stores."

"What's missing?"

Kakashi leaned forward, and even in the shadows of the cloak's hood, Sakura could see the gleam in his eyes. "Sedatives."

Sakura gasped as the implication of that one word sank in. "She's awake!" she cried out.

Nodding, Kakashi continued, "I'm assuming they're keeping her unconscious. Otherwise she would be impossible to control."

"We got to get her out," Sakura exclaimed, her hands clenching into fists as she leaned forward.

"We're getting closer."

She pinned an uncompromising look on him. "You'll NOT exclude me from the rescue mission, Kakashi. You understand me? I'm coming with you and you'll not talk me out of it."

Kakashi's lips quirked as he held up both hands in a soothing motion. "Won't dare to."

Satisfied, Sakura grinned. "Good."

He leaned back, eyes on her face. "So, now that the business part is done…"

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.

Keeping his face straight, he commented innocently, "I heard about your new base. Very interesting indeed. Hidden Hot Spring Village, hm?"

"What is it, Kakashi?" she asked cautiously.

He grinned under his mask. "So, are there any mixed hot springs in Yugakure?"

"Kakashi!"

000

* * *

000

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter. Next chapter will see more interaction between Itachi and Sakura. Please review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright. Please note that many things about Spring Country and Yugakure are made up, and non-canon.

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 4**

Itachi stood motionless in the darkened alleyway, his body hidden in the shadows as he kept watch on the wooden house opposite him. A simple henge earlier had gained him the information that Haruno Sakura was back in the village.

His previous trip to the village had taught him that it was best that he observed her to learn more about her movements. If he possessed the pertinent facts about her schedule, it would result in less wasted trips to Yugakure.

The door to the house opened just as the sun emerged in the horizon. A figure stepped out, clad in warm clothing appropriate for the cold winter weather. Itachi watched as Haruno Sakura pulled a knitted hat over her head, leaving several pink strands of hair sticking outward, as she walked in the direction of the village gates.

Casually, he stepped out of the shadows to follow her. He kept his head low and his steps purposeful as to discourage anyone from approaching him. Fortunately, it was early enough in the morning that not many were awake. There were only a handful of shinobi walking the streets, patrolling, he presumed.

The sentries at the gates waved at her when she passed, and she waved back, cheerfully telling them that she would be back in a couple or so days. The Yugakure shinobi did not appear to be surprised by the declaration, so Itachi deduced that this must be a regular occurrence for her.

The risk was high for him to attempt leaving Yugakure via the same route as the kunoichi. Changing his path slightly, he headed to what he now knew to be an unguarded section of the boundary wall. There, he exited the shinobi village without detection. When he had left Yugakure behind, he dispelled his henge. Keeping up the disguise at this juncture was pointless after all.

It did not take him long to pick up the trail of his target. Stealthily, he followed the pink-haired kunoichi as she made her way through the coniferous forest. Even at that distance, he could discern the assessing glances she kept darting around her, obviously mindful of potential dangers surrounding her. Or perhaps she sensed his presence?

At that thought, Itachi slowed his steps further. He did not wish to be discovered before he found out where she was heading to.

The journey was longer than he had anticipated. Much to his surprise, they were heading directly in the direction of his village. He wondered if the village was her destination all along, and that he had made yet another wasted trip to Yugakure.

However, before they actually reached the village, she took a detour and went in the direction of the mountains. Interest piqued, he continued to trail her. It was only when she arrived at a somewhat familiar-looking cliff face that her steps slowed. Not wishing to be detected, Itachi halted his movements completely.

He watched from the distance as she disappeared in the opening in the cliff face, his brows furrowing in recollection. It was the cave which he had noticed more than a year ago, the very same one he had been deliberating if he should investigate when Hitomi had called for assistance. He had not ventured close to this area since then.

As before, the purity of the energy radiating from that area was unmistakable.

Itachi ventured closer, keeping himself hidden as much as he could without actually using any method which would expose him as a shinobi. He had seen enough of the kunoichi to know that she was skillful enough to pick up on it if he was not careful. For the next few hours, at least, he wished for her to remain ignorant of his presence. Later, however, was a different matter.

He took a step towards the cave. The level of energy fluctuated suddenly, causing his steps to still abruptly. For a moment, he wondered if he had inadvertently set off some form of alarm, but when the kunoichi did not make an appearance, his anxiety dissipated. The cause of the fluctuation must have been something the kunoichi herself did.

Regardless, he did not venture any closer. Instead, he settled where he was, leaning against a trunk of a tree while he kept his eyes on the entrance to the cave.

He kept his position for the next few hours. And then Itachi glanced up into the sky. The sun was beginning to set and yet, it did not appear as if the kunoichi was about to exit the cave. He had a feeling that she would probably be spending the night there.

He continued to wait.

000

* * *

000

Sakura stifled a yawn kept her focus on the large, pearlescent light-blue gemstone in front of her. She had been there since yesterday afternoon, and although she had slept a little during the night, she was growing tired again. The gentle sound of gurgling water echoing in the background was not helping. And despite the frigid weather outside, the space she stood in was warm and humid, courtesy of an underground hotspring deeper in the cave.

All in all, her surroundings were practically lulling her to sleep.

Her glowing palms were flattened against the stone as she forced herself to concentrate on her task. The Shinjutama stood tall before her, pulsing with ancient energy. At almost two storeys high, it stopped just short of touching the roof of the large inner cavern she was in.

Slowly, almost painfully, she felt the protective barrier yield underneath her touch, and her palms felt several small bumps growing on the surface of the large gemstone. It was a sign that she was close to obtaining what she came for. Small pea-sized fragments slowly emerged from the surface. And when the large gemstone reluctantly released it, Sakura was ready to catch the fragments in her hands.

Guilt washed over her as she stared down at the five small fragments resting on her palm. This did not belong to her or Konoha. She had no right to do this.

Pulling a vial from her pouch, she deposited the fragments into it and grimaced. The amount was nowhere close to enough to what Danzou had expected, but she did not care to deplete her chakra completely to do Danzou's dirty work for him. She had to keep aside some chakra for the trip back to Yugakure, after all. And there was no way she was willing to risk her own safety just because of some wild ambition Danzou have, especially since his ambitions had so far caused senseless conflict and death.

From what she could tell, the sole purpose in gaining control of Yugakure was for Danzou to get his hands on the Shinjutama, also known as the pearl gemstone. It stood tall in this large cavern at the edge of Spring Country. The strength and chakra enhancing abilities of the stone meant that once extracted, the material could be used to create powerful weapons. Her research over the last few months also hinted at the fact that the Shinjutama could be used for other purposes, but she had kept this little fact from Danzou. He would not be able to exploit what he did not know, now, would he?

However, extracting or 'harvesting' the gemstone was no easy feat. No one could get past the barrier around the gemstone. In fact, it was only achievable if one was of a certain bloodline. Namely, the Shinju bloodline, of the clan which had once ruled Yugakure. The Shinjutama responded to no one else. The village's current leader was not part of the Shinju clan which had thought to have died out in the Second Great Ninja War, which also meant that the village had not been able to prosper from the use of the gemstone since then.

By some freakish coincidence, she, Haruno Sakura, a seventeen-year-old kunoichi of Leaf, happened to have some of the Shinju blood running in her, courtesy of some ancestor of hers. She had no idea who, but she guessed it was a distant grandparent who had escaped the war. So, unsurprisingly, she had been tasked to work on the Shinjutama, to extract and stabilize the pea-sized fragments of the Shinjutama before transporting it to Suna.

Yeah, Suna. Not Konoha.

She sighed at the thought, missing her friends in Konoha.

Still, at least she had managed to catch up with some of her friends half a year ago, while she had been taking her jounin exams which had been conveniently hosted by Suna. Ino and her other friends had told her that things under the military command of Danzou meant that Konoha was barely recognizable now. And yet, there was nothing most of them could do as Danzou kept a tight rein on everything, assisted by his faithful, brainwashed ANBU Root.

So, outwardly, all of them obeyed the new Hokage. And like any good kunoichi, Sakura also performed her mission without fuss, even though she disagreed with it with all her heart. Shinjutama did not belong to Konoha; it belonged to Yugakure. Konoha was stealing, and this left a sour taste in her mouth.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the prickling of her senses, warning her that she was not alone. Instantly on guard, she stepped away from the Shinjutama and flattered herself against the wall of the cavern before slowly inching herself out of the enclosed space. It would not do to be trapped in there.

At the mouth of the cave, the shafts of late afternoon sunlight hit the ground before her, just missing where she stood in the shadows. She scanned her surroundings, and immediately sensed that there was someone else in the vicinity. However, whoever it was remained hidden from sight. She wondered how long this person had been there while she had been preoccupied with her task.

Grimacing, she slid out from the shadows and streaked into the forest beyond. The sparse forest provided her with little shield, but it would have to do.

And then the presence was there again.

She swiveled around, hands glowing with chakra.

And the moment she saw his face, she stilled abruptly, eyes widening in recognition.

Nakamura Itsuki.

Keeping her guard up, but retracting her chakra, she eyed the silent man suspiciously. He was standing not far from her, arms hung loosely by his side, seemingly unthreatening. What was he doing here?

In all these times she had come out here, she had never encountered anyone. To meet him here could not be coincidence, although she supposed she should take into consideration that he resided in the village nearby. Then again, there was that time in Yugakure where he pretty much stalked her just because supposedly, he was curious about shinobi. This guy was creepy, and besides, he really put her on edge for reasons she could not quite put her finger on.

"Nakamura-san."

He regarded her steadily for a moment, and then inclined his head in greeting. "Haruno-san."

"Out for a stroll?" she asked, wondering what excuse he would come up with this time.

"Simply patrolling."

Surprised at his response, she raised a questioning brow. So, his presence was a coincidence then. Then again, why should it be any different? As curious as he was about shinobi in general, surely he would not go out of the way to trail her. And besides, no one in his village knew about her trips here, as far as she knew.

"Patrolling," she echoed, hoping that he would elaborate.

He inclined his head. "It is my occupation."

"Then you're sort of the village's security force?"

"Aa."

So, he probably had some fighting skills, then. Briefly, she wondered what a civilian's fighting skill would be like. Perhaps something like Lee? Alright, perhaps not as extreme as Konoha's Green Beast, but certainly taijutsu-based, since their chakra was not developed the way a shinobi's was.

She frowned when she realized the direction of her thoughts. Why was she so curious about this man? Surely she was not suspecting him of something illegal, was she? Really, apart from his curiosity, he had done nothing to warrant her suspicion. But ever since the day he had been introduced to her, there was something about him that compelled her to be extra wary.

The image of the Uchiha Itachi came to her once again, sending a shiver up her spine. Fine, maybe that was the reason she felt so wary around him. His likeness to the dead Akatsuki unnerved her.

But really, he could not help the way he looked, could he?

Pushing those notions to the back of her mind, she asked, "Do you usually patrol this far from the village?"

"It is not far."

She shrugged. "Haven't seen you around before this, that's all."

"It was unwise to venture out of the village in the middle of the war. It is different now, I understand."

Right, the war between Konoha and Yugakure was over. Sure did not feel like it, Sakura thought. As far as she and many others in Konoha, the war was not over until Tsunade was back in her rightful place as the Hokage.

Still, she was digressing.

She dragged her eyes over the man before her. Nakamura did not appear to be doing anything suspicious, at least not outwardly. Perhaps she was just a little too sensitive. She should give him the benefit of the doubt, although that did not mean that she would simply trust him.

"Well, I'd better not keep you from your task then, Nakamura-san," she said, taking a step back into the opening in the surface of the cliff.

"What is inside the cave?" he asked.

Her eyes narrowed, immediately suspicious again. And then she recalled the large fragment of the Shinjutama she had seen in the middle of his village, and that she had decided to give him a chance, she relaxed slightly.

"You have the same thing in the middle of your village," she told him.

"The Shinjutama?"

Sakura nodded. "There's another one inside."

His expression turned contemplative. "May I have a look at it?"

For a moment, she considered saying no. But really, he probably has more right to it that she did. After all, he was a native of this country.

"Why not?" she finally responded with a shrug.

She walked through the small outer cave, which formed some sort of entranceway, feeling his presence behind her as she did so. Her eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness until they entered the inner cavern, where they were briefly blinded by the brightness of the Shinjutama. There, she stopped and watched as the man took in the sight of the towering Shinjutama.

"The one in the village is significantly smaller," he remarked thoughtfully.

"It is," she agreed, wondering just how powerful the Shinju clan must have been if they had managed to extract a head-sized chunk of the gemstone, when she could only manage miserable pea-sized ones.

"Ours protects the village, and is viewed as a sacred object."

Sakura winced inwardly.

"What does this one do?" he asked.

"I really don't know." She eyed the giant gemstone assessingly. She had wondered the same thing as well when she had first laid eyes on it.

He slanted a sideway glance at her. "And yet, you're here. Are you simply visiting?"

She felt a flare of annoyance. His words were innocent, but she could swear that he was mocking her somehow. It was like that time when they had the discussion about whether it was an infection or poison. She had felt the same then as well.

Perhaps it was because he seemed so confident, so self-assured that it could almost be described as haughty, unlike most civilians she knew. It was a trait she associated with people like Hyuuga Neji and Sasuke. Not this civilian from a village which had barely seen the real world. Then again, that was probably why he was like this.

Perhaps this trait of his was the reason why she felt on edge around him. Like she was lacking or something.

"Haruno-san?"

Recalling his earlier question, she composed herself before she answered, "No, I'm not just visiting, Nakamura-san."

But she did not elaborate.

He stared at her, raising a questioning brow when she did not continue.

Keeping her tone even, she told him, "My task here is not the concern of a civilian."

For a brief moment, she swore she had seen a flash of amusement in his dark eyes. And then he spoke in a smooth voice, "No, I suppose not. Still, the Shinjutama belongs to Spring Country, does it not?"

Sakura bit back a sharp retort at his veiled accusation, realizing that he had said nothing wrong, really. She was stealing, and not proud of it. But she did not have to justify her actions to this man.

"I think it is best that you leave, Nakamura-san," she told him finally, tersely.

He studied her wordlessly for a moment, and then nodded. Just as he turned away, he murmured, "I meant no offence, Haruno-san."

Then maybe he should not keep questioning her, she retorted inwardly.

He added, "This cave and the Shinjutama are close to my village. I simply wondered if your task here will bring further conflict to this land. Or others, for that matter."

With that, without waiting for her response, he left the cave.

Leaving her with an unmistakable feeling of guilt.

000

* * *

000

Itachi mulled over his earlier encounter with the Leaf kunoichi as he made his way back to the village. He had not overestimated the kunoichi's abilities. She had detected his presence the moment he decided to move closer. The move was deliberate, to allow him to gauge her abilities at detection.

The encounter, however, had confirmed that the kunoichi was still wary of him, though he might have noticed a slight thawing towards the end of their conversation. Something told him that he would have to earn her trust.

And that it would not be easy.

Soon, he crossed the invisible barrier which protected the village from outsiders. As always, the villagers greeted him as their own as he passed them on his way back home. In a way, he supposed, they had grown on him as much as he had grown on them. He would be content to live this life, if not for the insistent clamoring at the back on his mind.

When he reached his house, he pushed the unlocked door open and stepped in. The dimness of the interior prompted him to open the windows one by one, allowing light into the small space.

It was then that a series of knocks sounded on the door.

He went back to the entrance and opened the door to find Hitomi standing there with a basket, smiling shyly at him. Kana, now fully healed, was not as restrained. The girl launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his hips.

"Itsuki-nii-chan!"

Kana had always reminded him of someone in his past, a boy he could not put a name to. And each time she showed her affection, Itachi always felt a tightening in his chest, also something he could not quite understand. Was the little boy his brother?

He patted her head. "Should you not be resting, Kana-chan?"

She pulled back to make a face at him. "I'm not sick anymore," she declared. "The medics said I'm all fixed weeks ago."

Itachi glanced up at her older sister, a questioning brow raised as he recalled how the medics had told their recently-healed patients to rest when the jounin team had brought them back.

Chuckling, Hitomi stepped forward. "The medics said one week of rest. And Kana was out of bed the minute the one week was over."

"Aa."

"We actually came by yesterday but you were not around."

"I spent the night out in the forest," he told her.

She frowned slightly. "Wasn't it a little cold? You should really take care of yourself."

The open concern in her expression and tone unsettled him a little, so he only responded with a nod.

Shaking her head in exasperation, she extended her hands towards him, offering the basket. "Here, Itsuki-san."

"Thank you, Hitomi." Giving her a level look, he reiterated what he had been saying to her every week for more than one year, each time she appeared at his doorstep with the basket of food. "However, this is not necessary."

"You need to eat, and besides, it is no trouble because I'm cooking for the family anyway," she explained once again, the same justification each week. Lifting her chin higher, she continued, "And I could never thank you enough for what you did."

"One year has passed."

"And I might not be alive today if not for you," she insisted. "Not to mention Kana."

"Right, Nii-chan!" Kana agreed.

Hitomi raised a brow. "See?"

As always, he could not find a way to refute her words. She was stubborn, and would continue to present him with food as long as she felt indebted to him. More than a year of their weekly meetings in this very same location had taught him that much.

"Well, I hope you'll enjoy the food. Yakitori chicken, some tofu and rice, and some other snacks," she said with a smile. Waving at him, she turned and walked away.

"See you again, Itsuki-nii-chan!" Kana yelled as she bounded away.

He brought the basket to the kitchen and unpacked it. This ensured that he had food for several days. And no doubt, his neighbor would come by with something else later in the week. He suspected that he could attribute his weight gain to these regular meals the villagers kept pressing upon him. They seemed to be of the impression that he was incapable of feeding himself.

Once he had stored the food, he made some tea and sat at the sturdy wooden table in the kitchen, mulling over the situation with the kunoichi. It would be good to lay out what he knew so far, for him to decide what to do next.

His objective was to ultimately regain memory of his past. To do this, he could either venture out into the unknown and risk exposure before he found what he sought, or gain what he needed from the kunoichi.

Clearly, the latter was the preferred option. The kunoichi could assist in two possible ways. Firstly, she came from the village he suspected he was affiliated with in some manner. Secondly, her reputedly exceptional skills as a medic could be utilized to assist him in regaining what he had lost.

The predicament he had now was the fact that she was far too wary of him. The manner in which she viewed him did not bode well for his attempts to get closer to her. He had to dispel her wariness of him, to make her see him as someone harmless and trustworthy.

He frowned in thought, silently contemplating the issue as he sipped his tea.

It was only when the leftover tea in the pot had turned cold that the solution came to him.

A good defense was as effective as a good offence.

And same could be said in reverse.

000

* * *

000

One week later, Sakura was back at the site of the Shinjutama.

And once again, just as she was about to finish her task, she felt the presence of another person outside the cave. Warily, she made her way to the entrance of the cave and immediately spotted the man.

Somehow, she was not surprised to see that it was once again Nakamura. He could not be stalking her again, could her? A little annoyed, she stepped fully out in the open. The man simply turned around, seemingly unbothered by her appearance.

"It's you again," she deadpanned. "Are you on patrol?"

He inclined his head. "You may ignore my presence," he told her calmly.

She scowled slightly. "Can you patrol further away?"

"I have to observe the anomalies surrounding the village, Haruno-san, for it is usually that which unsettle our peace."

"Anomalies," she muttered in disbelief. "Let me guess. I am the anomaly?"

His lips quirked slightly. "In a sense. If anything is to occur, it is likely to occur in your vicinity, not anywhere else surrounding the village."

Sakura frowned. She did not feel comfortable having him so close by while she worked. Probably because she was still somewhat wary of him. It did not help that he sounded so reasonable that she felt like strangling him. Instead, she settled for an exasperated huff.

"Just stay away from the cave, Nakamura-san."

"Why?"

She glared at him. "What do you mean, why?"

"I explained my presence here, Haruno-san."

What the hell? If she had read the situation correctly, he was here to make sure that she was not up to no good. This civilian had the nerve to be suspicious of her? Not only that, he wanted to keep an eye on her while she was working? She ground her teeth together in annoyance. And then…

Hypocrite.

She deflated slightly as the word came to mind. Who was the one who was suspicious of the other without a solid reason in the first place? Nakamura, at least, had the right to be cautious considering the fact that she was tampering with Spring Country's biggest source of power, even though none of them could actually utilize it. She had no business feeling offended when he was simply doing his job.

Still, she could not have him hanging around while she was working, so it was just as well that she was about to call it a day.

"Well, I won't be here much longer."

"You have completed your task?"

"For now," she said, walking away from him. Without looking at him, she called out, "Have a good day, Nakamura-san."

"Where are you going?"

Her steps stilled, and she glanced over her shoulder. Home, she was about to say, but that was not true now, was it? Her home was Konoha, but she was practically barred from returning. Suna? No, Suna was a place she had been posted for a little more than half a year, but it was still not home. Yugakure? She was just posted there to steal from them.

Finally, she said, "I'm going back to Yugakure."

Nakamura tilted his head upwards, noting the darkening sky. "It is late. Yugakure is half a day from here."

"I know." Was he actually expressing concern? How odd, she thought. But then again, he had admitted to not seeing many kunoichi around, so perhaps he did not think that she could take care of herself. "But I'm able to protect myself."

"Is that so?"

"I am a kunoichi, Nakamura-san. I've been assigned to escort others through rougher places than this."

His expression turned contemplative. "It must be an unsettling way to live."

She frowned at his comment. "What do you mean?"

"You must travel often, do you not?"

More confused now, she responded carefully, "Yeah, somewhat. What are you getting at?"

"Surely it is unsettling, not knowing where you will be each time you receive a new assignment," he clarified quietly.

For someone who had lived in a secluded village probably for all his life, she supposed she could understand where he was coming from. "I'm used to it. It has been that way for a long time." Her lips quirked. "Since I was twelve, actually." When the images of Team 7 come to mind, she quickly brushed them aside and continued, "Well, I'm going now. As you've pointed out, it is quite late, and I have a lot of travelling to do."

"Hm."

The fine hair at the back of her neck stood at the single sound. It sounded so much like Sasuke that it was frightening. But she was being foolish, wasn't she?

Shaking the notion away, she turned away from him and continued to walk away.

000

* * *

000

"You don't need to do this, Itsuki-san."

Itachi slid a sideway glance at the woman walking beside him. Like him, she was wrapped up snug in a thickly woven cloak which almost obscured her entirely. But what was visible of her face would tell anyone that she was a woman of around early thirties in age.

"It is safer this way," he told her. Even if the war was apparently over, it was best that they did not take chances with their safety. Though it appeared that Rin did not agree with it.

She huffed. "It's not the first time I've gone out alone."

"Yes, Hitomi mentioned your journey to Wind Country before the war." And he had seen her return to the village alone not too long ago.

The woman snorted, and then went pointedly silent, making him a little suspicious. The fact that she had made no comment to his statement could only mean one thing. She had travelled out of the village just before the war, and he knew that she had travelled recently. But in between?

"You have left the village without escort?" he asked. "During the war?"

"Well, I'm still in one piece," she told him. "It's not that bad out there."

Itachi frowned. He failed to understand why this woman found it necessary to do such a thing. "You were taking unnecessary risks with your life, Rin-san."

She turned to him fully, the hood of her cloak slipping slightly to fully reveal her features and her dark brown hair. "It is my life to risk, Itsuki-san," she returned good-humoredly.

He inclined his head, respecting her decision. "I will escort you to the next village this time, then."

An exasperated sigh left her. "If you insist."

And with that, they continued their journey, speaking little as they did so. Rin seemed to be deep in thought, and so, Itachi decided not to interrupt her musings. After all, he had his own thinking to do.

He had continued to make his presence known to the kunoichi the following weeks she visited the cavern which housed the Shinjutama, except for once, when she had left on her monthly visit to make her report to Konoha. Each time, he had continued to notice her wariness of him, although it seemed to have grown less abrasive.

Perhaps his strategy was successful. After all, she had less opportunity to be suspicious of him when she was preoccupied with handling his apparent mistrust of her motives. He had asked her more than once about her intentions, but she had not responded favorably to him.

He thought back to the one time he had entered the cave when she was not present. The Shinjutama had stood there, tall and proud, and he had reached out to it. Much to his surprise, a barrier emerged to block his attempt, keeping his hand just a finger's width away from the surface of the gemstone. It brought forth a new onslaught of questions to his mind.

Itachi glanced sideways at the silent woman walking by his side, and decided that there was no harm in asking.

"Rin-san."

"Hm?"

"The Shinjutama in the village. Has it always been there?"

"As far as I know, yes." Her cloak shifted as she shrugged. "I doubt anyone could move it, anyway."

"Why?"

She turned, fixing her brown eyes on him. "You heard the legends, right?"

"The Shinju clan?"

With a nod, she said, "No one could handle it except those shinobi from that clan."

Itachi absorbed the information silently. Clearly, it suggested that Haruno Sakura was of that clan. Interesting, for he had heard that the clan had perished after a certain war. If the blood of the Shinju clan still existed in Haruno Sakura, who could tell just how many more of them were out there? And if they were alive, then why not return to claim the leadership of Yugakure?

"Why do you want to know?" Rin asked.

"I'm merely curious."

Rin grinned at him suddenly. "You went and touched it, didn't you?"

Itachi held her gaze wordlessly, neither denying nor confirming.

She laughed, reaching out to pat his shoulder lightly. "Don't worry about it, Itsuki-san. Most of us in the village tried once or twice to touch it as well. The kids never stopped trying."

Itachi simply nodded.

Not long afterwards, they arrived at her destination where Itachi parted ways with his fellow villager. He noted with interest that he was not able to see where this village was, telling him that this village was also protected by the Shinjutama. Rin must know someone within to be allowed the right to enter it. And when Rin declined his offer to escort her on the return trip, he was not surprised. The woman was clearly the independent type, albeit a little foolhardy.

The journey back took another few hours, and by the time he neared the cave where the kunoichi worked, everything was silent there.

He frowned in puzzlement, until he realized that another month had passed since she had last made her report to Konoha. It appeared that he had to wait another week before he spoke to her again.

As he continued on his journey back to the village, he felt oddly dissatisfied. It could not have stemmed from the fact that the kunoichi was not there, could it? That did not make sense.

The notion continued to plague him for the rest of the day.

000

* * *

000

Sakura stood rooted to the spot on the dusty street of Suna as she stared at the sight before her.

She simply could not believe her eyes, but she knew that she could not do anything about it. The fact that there were Suna ANBU next to the Konoha Root operatives told her the entire story.

It was only when they had exited the entrance tunnel she had just came through a few minutes ago that Sakura managed to command her feet to move. Blood began to rush through her when she realized what must have happened.

How could he?

Fury made her steps jerky as Sakura stormed towards the Kazekage's office. In the distance, she could see that Kankurou had noticed her presence, and was now tensing at her approach. Yes, he should know by now how to read her body-language, seeing that she had spent more than half of the past year in Suna. Then again, there was no way anyone could mistake her current anger.

Kankurou barred the door bodily when she reached. "Stop right there," he ordered.

She gritted out, "Move aside, Kankurou."

Calmly, he responded, "What do you need to see him for?"

"You know exactly what for," she seethed.

"Sakura," he sighed wearily. "He's only doing what he has to do."

She clenched her fists. "He helped him!"

Kankurou adopted a pained expression. "I know."

"He gave them up!"

"I know."

"Then stay out of this, Kankurou!" Hissing in anger, Sakura pushed past him and barged into the Kazekage's office. "Gaara!"

Kankurou skidded in behind her. "Sorry, Gaara. I couldn't stop her."

The Kazekage looked up from his desk, the slight frown between his brows betraying his displeasure. Sakura ground her teeth together. Something at the back of her mind cautioned her against irking the Kazekage, but she ignored it. She did not care. He should have known better than to do what he had done.

"Kankurou, leave us," Gaara finally instructed, his voice calm and unaffected.

She did not have to turn back to look at the other shinobi to know that Kankurou was hesitating. But when Gaara remained unconcerned, his brother finally relented with a sigh and left the room. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving her and the powerful redhead alone.

"Why?" she asked, voice tight with suppressed emotion.

"It had to be done."

"But why?" she cried out again, a tone of desperation in her voice this time.

At the moment, she did not care that she was crossing the boundary of propriety when it came to interacting with another country's leader. Besides, that boundary had been crossed many months ago. Still, that was not the issue at hand.

"My concern is the welfare of Suna." His eyes hardened. "Not Konoha."

His words whipped at her like a cold wind. Almost shaking with anger now, she choked out, "So you don't care if those runners get executed the moment they set foot in Konoha. Danzou will make sure of that. They are not much older than we are!"

"Suna cannot harbor Konoha's missing nins."

"Why not?" Her temper flashed further. "So if it's Naruto and Kakashi? What would you do then? Hand them to Danzou for execution as well?"

A chill cut through the air as Gaara's expression turned dark. "Do not overstep your boundaries, Sakura. I do not have to answer to you."

His word brought her up short, reminding her painfully of who he was, and she clamped down on the fiery retort at the tip of her tongue. He was right; he was under no obligation to house Konoha missing nin, no matter how close he was to some of its shinobi. The realization did not make her feel any better.

Anger still coursing through her, she bit out, "Of course, Kazekage-sama. I shouldn't have questioned your actions."

Gaara's eyes narrowed immediately, probably at her use of his title, but he said nothing else.

"I'd better excuse myself then," she went on, knowing that there was nothing else she could say.

Spinning on her heels, she made for the door. And then she heard his voice calling her. She paused, but did not look back.

"Sakura."

It sounded almost as if he was tired of everything. And instantly, she felt a little guilty for her outburst. It was not as if she did not know that this situation was not easy on Gaara as well. After a while, she heard Gaara's softly spoken words.

"It is best that you understand there will be more of such situations." A pause followed, and then he added, "The shinobi nations are unsettled and the line between tentative peace and war is very thin. One has to tread carefully. Things are no longer as it was before."

Closing her eyes, her shoulders slumped slightly as she pushed open the door and left the room. Kankurou stepped aside, allowing her to pass without a word, and for that, she was grateful. She did not think she could deal with any more just then.

Deep inside, she knew that Gaara was right. There was nothing he could have done. Things were no longer the same as before.

000

* * *

000

A/N: Thanks for following the story so far. Please review to let me know what you think!

:elle6778:


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: I'm a few days early with the greetings, but Merry Christmas, everyone! And here's the next chapter for your reading pleasure.

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 5**

Sakura made her way across the border of Wind Country and Spring Country unhurriedly. She passed the teahouse at which she had met Kakashi one month ago, but made no move to stop. The cryptic message she had received from them via Kankurou had said nothing about the teahouse, after all. In fact, the message did not name a specific meeting place, something which told her that Kakashi and Naruto were being even more careful than usual.

The arid air of Wind Country soon gave way to a more bearable level of humidity, and a couple of hours more of walking brought the rich scent of minerals she associated with Spring Country. She inhaled deeply, savoring the pleasant scent as she continued to walk. Her footsteps flattened the dry bed of needle-like leaves with each step, but there was no sound to betray her presence.

She was beginning to wonder if she had misinterpreted the message when her sense prickled with recognition. Her eyes instantly widened and she spun around excitedly.

A flash of golden hair was all she saw before her long-time teammate landed in front of her wearing the biggest grin she had ever seen on anyone. The familiar sight warmed her heart.

"Sakura-chan!" he hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Naruto!"

They met in a bear hug, and she squeaked as Naruto lifted her off her feet to spin her around. It felt good to see him, to feel him. And boy, did he grow even more over the last one year. He was taller and she could feel the hard muscles underneath the dark, non-descript clothing he now wore instead of his orange attire. She was breathless when he finally set her down, grinning at her widely.

"You look good, Sakura-chan!" he declared exuberantly.

Recalling the last time they had met after a long separation, she smiled. "At least you didn't say I didn't change at all."

He blinked, clearly confused. "Huh?"

"Never mind," she laughed. And then she turned to the Copy-Nin, who was approaching them at a more sedate pace. "Sensei."

"Yo, Sakura. You look well."

She nodded. "It's been a few weeks. What happened? I thought you were getting closer to Tsunade."

Kakashi ran his hand through his hair, mussing it up further. "It was a dead end."

Sakura's heart dipped. "So we don't know where she is?"

His smile dying out, Naruto shook his head.

How could this have happened? The last they had met, the hope had been there, and their chances of finding Tsunade were strong. Nothing like what they were telling her now. The thought of not finding Tsunade, not taking back Konoha from Danzou… She just could not bear thinking about it.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she asked, "What happened?"

"We followed the trail, and found four of Danzou's ANBU there. But no Tsunade."

"What were they doing there then?"

Naruto shrugged. "Beats me. Three of them managed to run off when they lost the fight, but we caught one of Danzou's ANBU. Thing is, he said he didn't know what we are talking about. That Danzou had nothing to do with Tsunade's disappearance."

"He's faking it," Sakura gritted out. "He must be."

This time, it was Kakashi who shook his head. "No. That one was telling the truth. At least, he did not lie about what he knew."

"What are you saying? That even Danzou's own lackeys don't know what he did to the Godaime?" she asked, incredulous.

"It looks like it," Naruto muttered.

"There is a chance that Danzou doesn't want it leaked out that he was responsible, so there's only a small number who knows about it, those particularly close to him. Or what Shikamaru suspected a while ago was true."

Recalling their last conversation, Sakura said tersely, "You mean about Danzou not the one responsible for it? You really think that's true?"

Kakashi shrugged, and her lips thinned in annoyance. If Danzou was not responsible, then who was? He had to be the one who had hidden Tsunade somewhere else for the fear of resurrection. No one else had reasons to kidnap Tsunade, right?

Right?

To her dismay, she found that she was beginning to doubt, too. This would not do. What they needed was more information.

"What about Sai?" she asked.

Kakashi's brows furrowed slightly. "Sai found out nothing useful. Danzou didn't leave any evidence."

"This is ridiculous!" Sakura cried out in frustration. "How are we going to find her?"

"My ninken is still working on tracking her, but it's difficult. All the trails we've found so far are old ones. If they don't move her, we can't find her."

"What about Shikamaru?"

"He's laying low for a while. Danzou has spies watching him lately. We haven't made contact for months."

Worried, Sakura asked, "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Shikamaru is smart. He knows how to avoid trouble." Kakashi's lips quirked. "It's what he does best. Besides, if anything had happened, Sai would have contacted us."

Recalling what had happened a few days ago in Suna, she asked, "Did you have a chance to talk to Gaara recently?"

Naruto shook his head. "No."

"We only sent you a message through Suna. Why?" Kakashi asked.

She grimaced. "He had to hand over some of Konoha's missing nins back to Danzou."

"What?!" Naruto cried out, eyes wide.

Kakashi tensed. "Who are they?"

"The new team of jounin. I recognized their medic," she told them sadly. And then she continued in a quieter voice, "They are not going to make it, are they?"

She received no response to her comment, and that was enough to confirm her suspicion. They all knew that Danzou's handling of such things was usually harsh and unforgiving. Kakashi looked resigned, while Naruto was frowning silently, and for once, having nothing to say. So the three of them simply stood silently in the cold forest of Spring Country, each lost in their thoughts.

Finally, Naruto broke the silence. "We'll fix things, Sakura-chan," he told her resolutely.

She hoped they could. Hopefully before more people got themselves killed, or worse.

Kakashi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Talk about something else."

"Like what?" she retorted flatly. "Our lives revolve around this stupid war, even though it's supposedly over." She slumped before adding, "So what are we going to do now?"

Naruto pulled a large bag out of his pack. His lips twitching slightly, he declared, "We'll eat!"

Sakura blinked in disbelief. The change of subject was rather sudden. "Eat?"

Kakashi nodded. "We can't do much else now. Eat, and then return to Yugakure like nothing has happened. I'll contact you when we have more to work on."

Realizing that this might be the only time she had to spend with her teammates for a while, Sakura relented and nodded with a small smile. Her eyes went to Naruto, who was busy unpacking their meal.

"We're having ramen, I take it?" she asked dryly.

"What else?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. At least some things did not change.

000

* * *

000

The week had passed uneventfully as Itachi waited for the pink-haired kunoichi to return to the cave to continue her task there. And then two more days went by without her presence, a fact which made him feel strangely unsettled.

He told himself that he was simply eager to recommence their battle of wills.

The third day he ventured out to the cave, he found her there at the entrance, her back to him. At the sight of her now-familiar figure, something akin to anticipation coursed through him, confusing him slightly. Anticipation of what?

The way she had stiffened told him that she was aware of his presence, even though she was not looking in his direction. And then she turned around to face him, walking away from the cave.

"What a surprise," she remarked dryly, stopping before him. And then she shook her head slowly, the corner of her lips quirking. "As diligent as ever, Nakamura-san."

"You fell out of schedule."

A flash of bewilderment crossed her features, and then it cleared. "Oh, you meant the last two days." Frowning, she continued, "You're really checking up on me quite often, aren't you?"

Instead of responding to her question, he commented, "I'd assumed you have completed your task here."

She raised a brow at him. "Now wouldn't that make your life a lot easier?"

"Somewhat simpler, perhaps."

She let out a bark of mirthless laughter. "You don't really have to keep watch over me. I'm not planning on destroying the Shinjutama."

"And yet, you are in there," he noted, inclining his head in the direction of the cave entrance. "Weekly."

She had not allowed him to see what she had been doing inside, but Itachi could guess that her village wanted the powerful gemstone for themselves. There were probably ways to utilize the power of the gemstone in battles and so forth. That could be the only reason she was posted there.

"Yes, weekly. You noticed," she responded blandly.

"Except last week," he added pointedly.

She crossed her arms over her chests. "Are you actually questioning where I was last week?"

"I'm merely curious," he responded in a casual tone. Although he knew the answer to where she had been, he wished to test if the past few weeks of interaction had lowered her defenses.

"You're prying," she pointed out flatly.

He raised a brow. So, her defenses were still intact, much to his frustration. She could be truly infuriating at times with her stubbornness. It might have been an admirable trait if not for the fact that she was thwarting his questions. Still, at least she was only being defensive, instead of being overly suspicious of him now. He could consider this as an improvement, at least.

"It's shinobi business."

"It remains my concern as long as you are close to the village, Haruno-san."

She regarded him, her features betraying her aggravation. "I really have no intention of harming anyone, you know?"

"But your actions may indirectly cause harm, do you not agree?"

Her expression tightened, something Itachi recognize as a sign that she was about to retreat, much to his regret. He had not meant to put a halt to their conversation.

"Well, it's been nice talking to you, but I need to get to work. And the faster I work, the faster I can get out of here, away from your territory, Nakamura-san."

"Will you be remaining here for the night?"

She glanced up at the sky, and then back at the cave. "Probably."

"You should consider spending the night at the village," he suggested casually, knowing that something like that would give him another opportunity to approach her.

"I don't think so, Nakamura-san. But thank you for the offer."

"It remains open should you wish to accept it," he told her formally.

She only nodded. He did not press the issue, for it would appear odd if he did so. After all, his strategy was to distract her from her wariness of him with his own mistrust of her.

He watched as she walked towards the cave, only pausing to glance back at him once she was at its entrance. "It is quite late in the day already. In a few hours, it will be dark."

"Aa."

"Are you staying out there the whole night again?" she asked bluntly.

He inclined his head.

"You've been doing this for the past few months, each time I'm here. Don't you sleep?"

His tone was even when he replied, "It is my responsibility to be cautious of potential risks to the village, Haruno-san. Once a week is not unmanageable."

Her brows furrowed in displeasure, but she simply nodded. "Fine. I guess I'll see you when I'm done."

"You will."

She looked as if she was about to say something. And then she seemed to change her mind. Shaking her head, she did not spare him another glance before she disappeared into the cave.

Itachi settled at the base of a tree, his eyes trained upon the cave as the faint traces of what he now recognized as her chakra trickled over him. Closing his eyes, he rested calmly as the waves of energy continued to fluctuate around him.

000

* * *

000

Her bedroom was dark when Sakura's eyes slid open, yawning as she did so. Blinking blearily, she sat up on her bed and stretched lightly. It was early yet, but she instantly remembered what she had to do today.

Seven more days had passed and it was time to journey to the cave again.

That thought immediately brought forth the image of a certain man. Weeks had gone by, and each time she returned to the site, Nakamura Itsuki was there to watch over her intently, without fail. It was disturbing, and it made her feel guilty for what she was doing, but she tried her best to ignore it. Thankfully, he had not been unpleasant to her. In fact, he seemed quite uncomplaining of his duty to keep an eye on her.

Their conversation was always short, but he had been nothing but polite. The edginess she felt around him was also gradually fading, allowing her to be less tense around him. Although Nakamura was clearly there to keep tabs on her, he seemed to understand that she was simply doing her job, that her interest in the Shinjutama was not personal. For some reason, that made her feel marginally better.

Yawning again, she got out of bed and began to prepare for the journey. By now, her movements were almost mechanical as she packed a spare set of clothes, some toiletries, her scrolls and medicines, and the vials.

Sighing, she stared at the latest vial before her. It was missing a few fragments, but that was deliberate. She needed to keep some aside in case she needed it later. Just in case.

Like the rest that she had handed over to Danzou's messenger, the fragments in this vial no longer had the barrier around them, and thus, allowed others of non-Shinju blood to work on them. Such as embedding them into weapons, she thought with no small amount of disgust. Danzou had made no secret that he wanted the chakra-enhancement the Shinjutama fragments could bring to his shinobi. To him, it was all about fighting for power, about taking over others.

Shoving the less-than-pleasant thoughts aside, she walked out of her room to head towards the kitchen with her small travelling pack. It was time for her to visit the cave again, and it was best that she stocked up on some food before she travelled.

Unfortunately, things were not on her side, she thought as she stared mournfully at her empty fridge. It looked as if she would be going without food this time, for it was simply too early to get anything from outside.

For a moment, she deliberated if she should wait and leave later, and then decided that she would be able to get something from the village near the cave. Hopefully, they would allow her entry. Her stomach protested with a mournful growl, and she quickly gulped down a glass of water to pacify it. The faster she left, the faster she would reach.

And with that thought, she left the house and was soon travelling in the forest outside Yugakure. The air was frosty and the morning mist made the journey a little less pleasant than usual, but her steps did not slow.

Soon, the sun began to rise, sending gentle shafts of sunlight filtering down between the sparse foliage high above her. She lifted her face to it, feeling the warmth on her skin. At times like this, she really missed Konoha's milder weather. The corner of her lips turned down as she recalled her village and her friend. When would this be over? When could she return?

The sound of thunder rolled through above her, breaking into her thoughts. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the sky, and then back in the direction she was heading. She was close to both the cave and the village, and if she sprinted, she might reach village before the rain arrived.

Unfortunately for her, she barely finished the thought when she felt the first splatter of water against her face. Groaning under her breath, she sped up. Then the rain began to pour in earnest, and she decided that it was best to go straight to the cave. Ignoring her growling stomach, she sprinted until she reached her destination.

Unsurprisingly, Nakamura Itsuki was already there. He was seated at the cave entrance under a wide overhang, shielded from the rain. She quickly made her way towards him, sighing in relief when she ceased to feel the sting of rain against her face.

"Good afternoon, Haruno-san."

"There's nothing good about the weather this afternoon," she grumbled, squeezing the water out of her soaked hair.

"You are dripping," he pointed out calmly as he reached for a packet beside him.

"I noticed," she responded dryly.

Pulling a towel from her pack, she quickly wiped herself down, thanking whoever that had invented the semi-waterproof material of her jounin outfit. Once the worst of the water was gone, she ran her chakra-filled palms over her damp clothes. When she was dry, she turned to him and almost groaned when she saw what he was doing.

Her stomach gave another loud growl.

Sometimes, life was just horribly unfair.

000

* * *

000

The way she was looking at the food in his hand was nothing short of amusing. Hiding a smile, Itachi continued to chew slowly on the onigiri, watching as she averted her gaze. She was obviously hungry, judging from her reaction.

Deciding that he should not be unnecessarily cruel, he stood up and walked towards her. The moment he moved, she fixed her attention on him once again.

"Take this," he said, offering the box to her.

Her eyes widened slightly. "W-What?"

"I assume you're hungry."

She blinked down at the box in his hand, and then, slowly, her eyes lifted to his. "You're offering me your lunch?"

"It would seem so."

"You don't want me here fiddling with your heritage, and you're offering me lunch?"

"I do not wish for any harm to come upon my village, that is all," he replied, not addressing her question about her task there.

She eyed the bento box thoughtfully.

"It is safe."

Her eyes snapped up to his. "Safe?" Comprehension dawned, and she quickly said, "No, it's nothing like that. I'm just…"

He waited for her to continue, but she shook her head briskly, as if to clear some thoughts from her mind. Her reaction was curious indeed, for he had done nothing but to offer to share his food, something which was just a common courtesy.

"Never mind," she finally sighed.

He lifted the box of food closer to her. "Here."

There was a brief flash of hesitation, and then she reached out, picking up a rice ball. He watched as she brought it to her lips and bit into it, and then he sat back down, leaning against the cave wall. She chewed slowly, obviously savoring the bite.

"This onigiri is good," she exclaimed appreciatively, lowering herself down beside him.

"I will tell Hitomi you said so."

The kunoichi blinked up at him. She sounded curious when she spoke next. "Hitomi?"

"I believe you have met Kana." At her nod, he continued, "Hitomi is Kana's sister."

"Oh, I remember now. The family resemblance is uncanny. She made this for you?"

Itachi nodded. "She makes them for the whole family."

"You're lucky to have a family like that, then," she murmured, a wistful look appearing on her face.

Intrigued by her reaction, he almost missed her incorrect assumption that he was part of Hitomi's family. It was understandable that she had arrived at that conclusion, and she would not be the first one to do so. After all, there were some resemblances in their appearances.

At that very thought, he caught a mental flash what could be an older version of Hitomi, an older woman with dark hair and dark eyes. He immediately stilled, as he always did when presented with these flashes. This time, instead of pleading with him to stop, the woman was smiling gently at him. This time, instead of constricting with pain, his chest swelled with warmth at the image of the woman.

Who was she? They were obviously related. Was she his sister, his mother… his aunt? His inability to remember displeased him.

"Must be nice to live so close to your family, huh?" the kunoichi suddenly commented, breaking into his thoughts. Before he could correct her, she turned to him and asked, "So, what else do you do except patrol inside and outside the village?"

"Nothing in particular."

Her brows scrunched. "Must be rather boring."

He was mildly offended at her implication that his life was uneventful. Perhaps it had been, but it had been deliberate. He had not wished to attract any attention. Now, he had something to focus on. However, this was not something he could tell her.

So he said, "I meditate."

"Meditate?" she echoed, and then her lips quirked slightly. "My shishou tried to teach me that once. But I failed miserably at it."

"You require the ability to clear your mind. What else did she teach you?"

"Shinobi stuff."

He schooled his features carefully, hiding his exasperation at her evasiveness. She kept thwarting his attempts to lead the conversation in that particular direction. It was truly admirable how much she could hold back while remaining talkative.

"Why the secrecy, Haruno-san? I'm merely curious."

She shrugged. "How am I to be sure you're not a spy for another hidden village?"

"Surely you'd be able to tell the difference between a civilian and a shinobi," he remarked mildly, sidestepping the question.

"Perhaps."

After a short pause, he asked, "Your shishou must have taught you fighting techniques."

"A little," she admitted, clearly reluctant to elaborate.

Somewhat curious by the notion of fighting with one of his kind, he suggested mildly, "Perhaps we could spar one day."

This time, she sputtered when she swung towards him, wearing an incredulous expression. She was plainly shocked by his words.

"You want to spar with me?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Yes."

She blinked at him, and then looked away uncomfortably. "I don't think it is a good idea, Nakamura-san."

She resumed eating, but her unease was apparent. It probably stemmed from the notion of fighting with someone she thought of as a civilian. He frowned inwardly when he realized that even if she agreed to do so, he could not truly spar freely with her, not if he wished to retain his disguise.

This… disappointed him.

The feeling of disappointment was so sudden that he struggled to comprehend it for a moment. Was it so important that for him to be able to express his true abilities without restrain? It seemed somewhat… arrogant of him. Had he been such a person before he had lost his memories?

"Nakamura-san, are you alright?"

The formality in the way she addressed him felt wrong, and he almost wished to hear her call him by his true name. And yet, that would be infinitely unwise. He had to settle for a compromise. "You may address me as Itsuki."

Surprise washed over her face. "Uhm… fine."

Itachi took his eyes away from her and resumed eating. For a long while, both of them focused only on their food.

When she finished eating, she broke the silence. "Well, Haruno-san sounds pretty formal. So, you can call me Sakura if you want."

Itachi hid his smile as he replied, "I believe I will… Sakura."

She stared at him, her eyes flickering with something he did not understand.

Standing up, he gestured to the half-full bento box still on the ground. "You can have the rest."

Her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Thanks for the food, Itsuki," she said, somewhat tentatively.

The atmosphere around them seemed to be changing, almost as if the air was growing thicker. It made him feel somewhat uneasy. He glanced outside. Perhaps the change could be attributed to the sudden shift in weather.

"The rain has stopped." And then, sensing that it was best to leave, he added, "I shall depart now."

Her only response was a silent nod.

000

* * *

000

Sakura spent the rest of the day and the next morning extracting fragments of Shinjutama. She did not see Nakamura during this period, but she could clearly sense his presence outside the cave. The man had come to realize that she did not appreciate his presence while she was doing her job, at least.

Her brows furrowed at the recollection of their conversation yesterday. Somehow, it had seemed different from their previous ones. More personal, perhaps. It had definitely thrown her when he invited her to use his given name. This encounter with Nakamura Itsuki had certainly been the weirdest so far. First, the man had made her wary, and now he just confused her. She still felt somewhat on edge around him, but it was different from before. She just could not quite put a name to it.

Shaking the thought away, she knelt down to finish packing her belongings. Once she was done, she stood up and left the cave.

Nakamura, or rather, Itsuki, was seated on a boulder to the left of the cave, a book in his hand. For a moment, Sakura had a flash of Kakashi, and her eyes immediately went to the book, only to notice that it was not one of Kakashi's favorite series. The absence of the large red circle with the diagonal slash confirmed it.

She let out a soft chuckle, giving herself a mental shake for the idiocy of her thoughts. It was mad to let Kakashi's habits color her view of other men's choice in reading materials.

"You are amused."

At the sound of his voice, Sakura's chuckle died down. "I thought for a moment you were reading something else." Like literary porn. "What do you have there?"

He raised the book slightly, showing her the cover. She immediately blinked in disbelief. No, not quite literary porn. But it was just as unexpected.

"That's classical romance!" she blurted out incredulously.

"And?"

She stared at him, uncertain what to say now.

"You are surprised."

Her vocal chords managed to reactivate. "I didn't think that men go for those sorts of reading material."

He glanced down at the book, studying its cover. "It is not just romance. The plot refers heavily to family interactions and the level of trust between them. Have you read this?"

She shook her head. "No, but the cover…"

"One should not judge a book by its cover."

Whatever thought she was about to have disappeared in the wake of his comment. It pointed out glaringly that yes, she had judged him based on a stereotype. Namely, the stereotype of men like Jiraiya, Kakashi and Naruto. Nakamura seemed to fall in a different category altogether; lacking the brashness but not the arrogance she had occasionally caught glimpses of, and a quieter confidence of a man who knew where he stood in the world.

She shook those ideas away, wondering what the hell was she doing there, analyzing Nakamura Itsuki's character. The man was just another villager, right? Albeit one who kept appearing where she was.

Shifting her pack into a more comfortable position, she announced, "I'm heading back to Yugakure."

He inclined his head. And then, after a thoughtful look, he asked, "You will return next week, I assume?"

Her lips quirked. "You assume correctly. So, I guess I'll see you again?"

He closed the book and slid off the boulder, walking towards her. She tensed in reflex when he neared her, eventually stopping only when they were less than an arm's length apart. At this distance, she could see the grey flecks in those eyes she had thought was pitch black. And at this distance, she could also detect a warm male scent emanating from him, making her feel slightly edgy.

She swallowed hard and averted her gaze, berating herself for her strange reaction. The urge to flee was strong, for some reason, but it was ridiculous for her to run away from a civilian who had done nothing but walk up close to her. Still, she felt the need to put some distance between them.

"Until next week, Sakura," he told her quietly.

With a curt nod, she brushed past him, her arm tingling slightly as it made contact with his. It was only when she had travelled far enough from the cave that she could not sense a hint of his presence that Sakura managed to relax.

Groaning inwardly, she ran a hand through her hair. What the hell was wrong with her? The way she reacted to his proximity almost suggested that she might be…

Stop that thought, she snarled at herself.

Was she reacting this way because he resembled Itachi, and hence Sasuke? Although it had been years since her crush on the younger Uchiha, Sasuke was still her first 'love'. Her subconscious probably could not help but relate the two, even though she had only known Itsuki for what? Three, four months now?

Or perhaps she was simply reacting in that manner because Itsuki seemed to be the only one who seemed to view her as a person these days, his words more often than not challenging her to justify herself. It was unlike her interactions with the ANBU Root, and it was unlike the Yugakure shinobi who treated her with respect, but at a distance. Almost as if she was on a different level from them.

She snorted inwardly. Of course they would think that. Despite their acceptance, she was still a kunoichi from a country which had invaded Spring Country, and goodness knew killed how many Yugakure shinobi. The thought of it was sickening.

It was evening by the time she arrived in Yugakure, the journey having taken half the day as usual.

She sighed in relief when she reached home. Travelling like this was rather tiring, but at least she had gotten it over with for the week. Next week, she would do it all over again.

Instead of unpacking, she tossed her pack to one side and went straight to the bathroom. One hot shower later, she emerged feeling much more human, dressed in clean clothes. It was then that she heard a scratching sound on her door.

Immediately alert for any form of danger, she took a kunai in her hand and went to the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Sakura."

Eyes widening, she quickly yanked the door open. Down at feet level stood a familiar ninken. "Pakkun!"

While Pakkun continued to pant at her doorstep, Sakura quickly rushed into her house to grab a bowl of water for the exhausted ninken. "Come on in."

When she returned with the bowl, the door was shut and Pakkun was half lying on the rug in front of her couch. She walked to him and set the bow down and watched as Pakkun lapped at the water greedily. And then, unable to stand the suspense any longer, she spoke.

"Is everything okay?"

Pakkun looked up. "I think so."

"What is it then? Why are you here?"

"Kakashi needs you to meet up with him."

"What's going on?"

"We found Tsunade."

Sakura's eyes widened. "When?"

"Caught her trail earlier. It was stronger than usual. Kakashi said that you want to be there when they make a move."

"Yes."

"We will wait for you at the border between Wind and Spring Country tomorrow, at dusk."

Sakura gave him a determined nod. "I'll be there."

000

000

* * *

A/N: Please review if you could! Until next time…

:elle6778:


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews for the previous chapter. And here's the next installment of this story…

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 6**

Hidden behind some dense foliage, Kakashi grimaced as he studied the movements of the ANBU members stationed some distance away. As he continued to monitor them, his mind ran through the events which had led them there in the first place.

A few days ago, Pakkun had followed Tsunade's trail this far before it disappeared, and had turned back to inform him and Naruto. It was the nature of the scent that Pakkun had trailed which concerned both him and his blonde comrade. Blood. Pakkun had been following the scent of Tsunade's blood. Since Pakkun had not detected Shizune's presence, Kakashi had decided then that it was critical for them to act soon, for they simply could not take the risk that their Godaime might be severely injured.

The handful of ANBU operatives appeared to be guarding a small house hidden in the forest, implying that something or someone important was within. And earlier, they had caught sight of a blonde head through the window which looked like their Godaime.

But it was all fake.

This was a trap.

Kakashi cursed himself for not realizing it earlier. He had not been able to discern Tsunade's chakra signature when they had arrived just half an hour ago. That should have set alarms ringing in his head, but it hadn't. He blamed his desperation to find Tsunade for this lapse. Now that he thought about it, it was probably just a bunshin, or some other blonde woman who had been roped into this farce to trap them.

Although this was not the first time they'd ended up with a false trail set by Danzou, this was the first time he had Sakura with them, as he had been concerned that Tsunade might require urgent medical attention. Sakura's presence raised the stakes somewhat, because, as far as Konoha's current Hokage was concerned, Sakura was supposed to be on Konoha's side, albeit reluctantly. If she was found there with him and Naruto, her true allegiance would be exposed, and who knew what Danzou would do to her.

If such a threat seemed imminent, Sakura would have to drop everything and go on the run with the rest of them. Whilst he had confidence in her skills as a shinobi, he did not know if she could handle the uncertainty and the inconstancy of a missing nin's life. She was the type who prefers to have some sort of comfort zone, a safe retreat to return to. A home. Not like Naruto, who obviously fared well in such nomadic existence as evidenced by his two and a half years of training with Jiraiya.

Furthermore, Danzou required her for her Shinju abilities, and Kakashi knew that he hunt Sakura down since it was unlikely that he would find a replacement for her.

Now that Kakashi thought about it, he sure had some luck with his students. His lips quirked in slight amusement. One was the only surviving Uchiha, one was a jinchuuriki and one was a descendant of a bloodline thought to have died out several decades ago.

Stealthily, Kakashi backtracked away from his point of observation, slowly blending into his surroundings as to not attract attention. Soon, he slid behind a particularly dense bush to join Naruto and Sakura.

"It's a trap," he announced quietly.

Sakura's eyes, now dark brown courtesy of her henge, widened. "What?"

Naruto growled in annoyance. "The bastard Danzou set a trap to lure us here."

"You need to go, Sakura."

"But-"

"Quick, Sakura. Go back to Yugakure. We'll handle the Root."

She hesitated, but Kakashi kept his eyes fixed intently on her, trying to relay the severity of the situation. Finally, to his relief, she nodded.

Before she went, however, she told them sternly, "Do NOT get hurt, you hear me?"

Kakashi smiled. "We'll be careful."

Naruto punched a fist in the air. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'll take care of the old man."

Kakashi glanced sharply at the grinning blond, offended by his words. Old-man? Who was he calling an old man? Impertinent little-

"Let me know if there are any more news," Sakura said, cutting into his inner rant.

And then, with a last wave, she sped off.

"We need to go as well," Kakashi urged. "Opposite direction."

However, Naruto did not move. Instead his face was scrunched in the type of concentration that Kakashi now recognized as Naruto's method of scanning the area. Kakashi stilled, trusting the blond to complete his task. A moment later, Naruto turned to him, wearing a grim expression.

"They're coming."

"Run," he ordered.

Without further ado, both of them took off in a sprint. They did not run long before Kakashi sensed that their pursuers were closing in. He only hoped that none of them had noticed Sakura. But he suspected that they probably had at least sensed her. The ANBU root was not to be underestimated.

"Getting closer, Kakashi," Naruto told him grimly.

Kakashi's jaw ticked in irritation. It looked as if there was no avoiding a confrontation. He knew he could win in battle with them, even though it was just him and Naruto against them. However, these were just Leaf nins following orders. A little misguided and brainwashed, perhaps, but still Leaf nins.

"Stop!"

Kakashi spun around to find four Root operatives standing in battle-ready stance, obviously intent on thwarting the escape.

He knew that he would do anything that was required to ensure that these operatives did not live long enough to report back to Danzou. And for the sake of their future, he would do it.

000

* * *

000

Sakura gritted her teeth as she ran along the stony path, flanked by trees which were too small to be used to travel on. She had been on the road for the past hour or two, running along Earth Country's south border.

Suddenly, she felt the telltale tingle at the back of her neck, a sign that someone was coming after her.

"Damn it!" she hissed under her breath.

This was what she did not need. The fact that they were pursuing her meant that she had been spotted together with Kakashi and Naruto, but just how many of them have seen her? Was it only the ones chasing her? Or were there others? Did they suspect her true identity? It was not hard to guess, despite her henge, considering her relationship with Kakashi and Naruto. Were some of them already on their way to report her to Danzou?

A chill ran up her spine, causing her steps to falter slightly. What should she do now? What would Danzou do to her if they caught her? She had a plan in place just in case a similar thing happened, but she had not counted on actually being pursued like this. If they caught her, they would soon recognize who she was. And if she fought them, they would know who she was. Her fighting style was far too distinctive, but without it, she would not stand a chance against them. She knew a handful of element-based ninjutsu, but they were not exactly that powerful.

Right there and then, she vowed to widen her repertoire of battle skills. And practice. Yes, lots of practice.

The shift in the air was the only warning she received, just moments before she felt a flare of chakra. Knowing that her time was up, she spun around to face her pursuers. Four ANBU Root, unmasked and dressed in black landed on the ground before her.

"Reveal yourself," one of them demanded.

She feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about?"

"Your henge."

She sneered. "Not a chance."

"Who are you?" another asked.

"Are you here to fight or to talk?" she asked snidely. "Why are you chasing me?"

"Are you Haruno Sakura?"

The words slammed into her, but she just managed to keep her expression even. "Don't know who she is." And then she snarled, "Get out of my way."

And that was when they attacked as one.

In the attempt to hide her identity, her fingers sped through a series of seals, and the earth before her rose up with a loud rumble. Concentrating hard, she forced the mass of earth forward towards the ANBU, and noted with satisfaction that the two lighter ones were now thrown back.

And then one of them brought their hands together, fingers flipping through seals which instantly resulted in a gush of water which turned her earth into mud. Without pause, the two ANBU streaked through the mud towards her.

Cursing inwardly, she ducked as a katana sped towards her. She retaliated with a punch, but it only grazed harmlessly past her opponent's head. Something appeared in the periphery of her vision. It was the other ANBU, and she leapt into the air, barely managed to avoid being struck by his kunai.

They continued to exchange hits, but with two against one, Sakura knew that she was at a severe disadvantage. Furthermore, they were too fast, their moves too clean, and they made no mistakes.

And then it happened almost in a blink of an eye.

The blow connected with her head, making her black out for a brief second, and then she felt the sharp edge of a katana slice through her shoulder. She cried out, trying to twist away, but a pair of hands pressed her to the ground while another ANBU twisted her arm back.

So much for being strong enough that she did not need her teammate's protection, she thought bitterly. The ANBU Root forced her further down, and she refused to wince even though she knew her shoulders were close to being dislocated. Not to mention bleeding profusely.

Suddenly, the flare of a familiar presence made her eyes widen. Hope flared when she saw Kakashi and Naruto appear. In a blink of an eye, the two ANBU Root standing over her were forcefully thrown across the forest by a furious Naruto.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked, pulling her up to her feet.

She nodded, wincing slightly as she rotated her arm. It was a good thing Kakashi and Naruto arrived when they did. A quick glance around told her that Naruto was systematically knocking out one after another of her pursuers.

"Your henge is gone."

Sakura gasped, her hands flying to her face and hair, even though that wouldn't tell her much. She pulled her hair forward, her heart dropping when she noticed the familiar pink strands.

"No…" she breathed out.

Kakashi grimaced, and then told her quietly, "We can't let them go back."

Sakura swallowed hard, comprehending exactly what Kakashi was telling her. "Do we need to?"

"They probably suspect you by now, so you'd better come up with something believable when they interrogate you." His stare not wavering, he asked, "Do you remember what I taught you about blocking?"

She nodded. It was something he had ground into her just before he and Naruto and left to become missing nins. The technique had not been difficult for her to master, although Kakashi had said that others had found it difficult. She figured that it must be some sort of innate ability she had.

"Use it if they try the harder techniques to get you to talk. Now, go."

Her eyes went to the ANBU, noting that two was down, while Naruto was occupied with one. And one was heading towards Kakashi.

"Go!" Kakashi instructed, without looking back.

"Don't look back!" Naruto added. "We'll handle things here."

Knowing that there was no time for argument, she nodded at the Copy-Nin and sped off.

A flare of chakra behind her made her steps falter, and she glanced over her shoulders just in time to see Kakashi's Chidori slam into the ANBU Root with a blast of bright sparks. His opponent cried out, his body shaking with the impact. And then the light dimmed and the ANBU Root dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Her mouth parted in a soundless gasp. It was not as if she had not seen Kakashi kill before, but this time, the victim was from Konoha. A Leaf nin. Supposedly one of their own. The sight of the loosened hitai-ate falling off the Root's lifeless head struck something in her, making her shiver slightly with an emotion she could not identify.

They were only doing what they had to do to survive, she told herself, turning away from the scene to continue running. She did not want to think about it anymore.

A while later, she took note of her position. She was currently at the border between Wind Country and a minor one, just north-east of Spring Country. If she hurried, she could be back in Yugakure in just less than a day's travel. Her hand went to her pouch, fingering a little pack of soldier pills she carried. It was more than enough to last her the trip.

She was heading for Yugakure when she thought of something, and her steps faltered momentarily in her dismay. No, Yugakure would not do. The shinobi there would be able to tell Danzou that she was not there for the last two days, and Danzou would immediately know that she was truly a traitor. But she had prepared for this eventuality.

She had to go to the cave.

000

* * *

000

Itachi sensed her approach approximately ten minutes before she appeared at the cave. Her chakra level was low, but it did not stop him from noticing that it was fluctuating erratically, as if she was in a mild panic.

He frowned inwardly.

When she appeared in his line of sight, his eyes immediately scanned her less-than-pristine condition. She had obviously been injured, judging by the darkened spots on her attire, especially on her shoulder. He was unsettled by it, and could not help but wonder just what had she been up to. Had she been injured on a separate shinobi assignment? Was it usual for a shinobi to have two assignments at once?

The notion jolted him unexpectedly, almost as if it was something close to him. The memory was there, and yet, it was still intangible. There was this awareness of a conflicting interest, and that he had to choose. Frowning, he wondered if it simply meant that he had been handling conflicting missions at the same time.

Her eyes connected with his, and her steps only slowed slightly as she stared in surprise. As if she had forgotten about it. "Itsuki-san."

He inclined his head in return, but her face was averted from him. She was hurrying past him to go into the cave, and as she did so, a heavy metallic tang of blood wafted towards him.

The images came so suddenly that he had no time to prepare for it.

Blood splashed across a wall, running down in thick rivulets over a very familiar symbol of a fan. And then there were the soundless screams and the betrayed expressions, interspersed with the silent clanging of metal against metal, of metal sinking into flesh…

The images dissipated but the constriction in Itachi's chest did not cease. The flashes were too real for it to be the result of his imagination. He felt suddenly torn, suddenly uncertain. Was he the one killing those men and women? Why had he done so? Had it been an order, or voluntary? Senseless killing did not sit well with him, that was one thing he was certain of, so why had he done it?

The muffled sound of a hiss broke the train of his thoughts and Itachi slid his gaze towards the cave entrance. Somewhat relieved by the diversion the kunoichi was providing, he made his way into the cave, only to see her seated against one of the cave wall, focused fully on her task.

"Sakura-san."

"Not now," she snapped impatiently, without looking at him.

His eye swept over her. She was pressing her glowing hand against her left shoulder, where the dark stain on her attire was most obvious. The injury was not minor, he noted. Her breath was labored and she was clearly straining. He waited silently until she had completely healed her injury before he decided to risk her displeasure.

She was rummaging in her pack now, pulling out clean clothes.

"What happened?" he asked cautiously.

"Nothing." Her tone was terse. She stood up abruptly and began to walk to the back of the cave. "Don't follow me, if you know what's good for you."

And then she disappeared into the darkness, leaving him alone next to the large, glowing Shinjutama.

Itachi stared at it as he mulled over what he knew of the situation. She had left for several days, disrupting her usual schedule, only to return injured and clearly on edge. Her tension was odd, for she should feel safe enough now to lower her defenses at least marginally now that she was in a relatively safe environment. The fact that she did not, couple with her rushed movements suggested that she was expecting danger to head this way.

He felt himself tense at the notion. She could be bringing people who knew him here, bringing trouble to this sanctuary of his. And perhaps recognizing him before he could discover his own identity.

When the kunoichi emerged some time later, she was freshly washed and dressed in clean clothes. Outwardly, no one could tell that she had been injured just minutes ago. But Itachi had observed this kunoichi long enough to know that something was badly off. She was edgy, strung up tighter than he had ever seen her in all these months he had known her.

Instinct told him that she was running, and for once, it was not away from him.

"Who is coming?"

"It is none of your business, Itsuki."

He stared at her, his stance immovable. "It is, if this is their destination."

An exasperated hiss left her as she darted a look at the cave entrance, before turning to regard him with eyes flashing with ire. But Itachi could also discern a hint of alarm. "Look, I'll tell you about it some other time, but right now, I need you to leave. And if you know what's good for you, you'll listen to me. I have no time to explain."

He studied her expression, noting the anxiety she hid behind the mask of anger. "Until later, then."

She opened her mouth to say something, presumably to warn him further, but he turned away, not giving her the opportunity to do so. After all, it would be foolish for him to remain there, not knowing what was approaching.

It did not take long for him to leave the cave and enter the forest beyond. There, he scanned his surroundings intently, searching for something out of the ordinary. For a long time, there was nothing. But he simply waited patiently.

And then he sensed it. The brief leak of chakra from an approaching shinobi reached him before it was suddenly gone again. But it was enough to confirm Itachi's suspicion. Sakura was running away from some trouble, and in doing so, she had brought said trouble to Spring Country.

It was best that he kept an eye on the proceedings.

At that thought, he remained out of sight, but he kept his attention fixed on the entrance to the cave.

000

* * *

000

Once Itsuki had left, she quickly set up her belongings around the Shinjutama and began the extraction process. Her heart still thudded wildly within her ribcage, something which would certainly give her away, and she had to consciously will it to slow.

She did not know how long she had stood there, hands pressed against the Shinjutama. It might be an hour or several, but she did not move from her spot. Beside her, strapped to her waist, was a half-full vial of fragments, giving the impression that she had been there for a while.

And then she tensed when she felt it; the approach of a team of shinobi, or in this case, most likely a squad of Danzou's Root operatives. When they came close enough, she kept herself calm, and put on an irritated expression before she removed her hands from the Shinjutama to walk out of the cave.

They reached just as the sunlight hit her face.

"What are you doing here?" she immediately asked, going on the offensive first.

"Haruno Sakura."

She stared at the squad leader. "What is it?"

"Where have you been?"

She dredged up a frown. "What are you talking about? Did I miss reporting or something? Last I checked, it's not due until next week."

"This does not concern your monthly report."

Her brow arched in question. "Alright, then maybe you'd like to elaborate."

"You have been sighted outside your designated task zone," he told her.

"What?" She widened her eyes. "And where have I been sighted, may I ask?"

Ignoring her question, he asked, "Have you left Spring Country this week?"

"Of course not. I have a job here." She snorted. "Wouldn't want to give our Hokage a reason to punish me for insubordination now, would I?"

The squad leader ignored her latter statement. "Can anyone validate your statement?"

"Validate?"

"We need proof."

"You don't trust my words," she bit out harshly.

"It is foolish to trust blindly, Haruno. I repeat, do you have evidence of your presence here?"

"Why should I leave Spring Country anyway?" she returned instead, trying to stall.

The ANBU Root took a step towards her. "Answer the question, Haruno."

She swept an arm backwards at the cave entrance. "I've been here, working on the Shinjutama." A brief pause followed before she added, "As per orders."

The squad leader gestured around the area outside the cave. "Secure the area," he ordered his squad. And to her, "Show me where have you been."

"The area is secure," she retorted as she followed him in, hoping that by now, Nakamura Itsuki was far enough to avoid the sweep. She was concerned that the man would be caught up in this unwittingly. And despite his distrust of her, she wished him no harm.

They entered the inner cavern, where the Shinjutama stood, and the ANBU studied the gemstone silently before he turned to her. "Where is the result of your work?"

"The Hokage has it."

The Root's stare hardened. "You claimed you've been here this past week. And you have achieved nothing?"

Sakura glared at him, not bothering to hide her dislike this time. Reaching into her side, she withdrew a half-filled vial of Shinjutama fragments and held it up to his face. "Here. I do not normally leave this lying around."

He reached out to take the vial from her, only to meet an invisible barrier which thwarted his intent. Realizing what had happened, he frowned slightly.

Smirking, Sakura told him. "You can't touch them just yet."

The indistinct echoes of voices from the cave entrance interrupted whatever the Root leader was about to say. A few seconds later, footsteps followed.

"Taichou-san, I found him outside."

Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of Itsuki being dragged in by the arm. What the hell was he doing? The idiot! She'd made it clear that he was to leave the area. These ANBU would flatten him in no time. Did the man have no sense of self preservation?

"Sakura?" he called out.

Noticing the lack of suffix to her name, she was briefly thrown. But she recovered quickly. "What are-"

"Who are you?" the squad leader asked. "This is a restricted site."

Itsuki frowned. "I'm Nakamura Itsuki. I'm here to see Sakura."

"Why?"

Itsuki looked even more bewildered, if that was possible, especially since she had not seen that expression on him before. Sakura did not know what he thought he was doing, but he would regret it if he did not get out of there soon. Besides, she would be in real trouble if he inadvertently let out that she had not been around for the last few days.

"I usually visit when she comes here. Is there a problem?" Itsuki asked. "Are you her teammates?"

The squad leader exchanged a look with another, before turning back to Itsuki. "When did you last see her?"

"How is this relevant to you?" Itsuki asked mildly.

In a blink of an eye, the squad leader was right next to Itsuki, the gleaming blade of his katana pressed against Itsuki's neck. Sakura choked back a horrified gasp. The man did not deserve to get involved in this. Why the hell could he not stay away?

"Speak, civilian," the Root hissed.

Much to Sakura's bafflement, Itsuki did not seem at all intimidated by the threat. Instead, he simply regarded the other man calmly, as if he did not have a deadly blade pressing against his neck. What the hell was wrong with the man?

"When did you last see her?" the Root growled again.

Itsuki blinked once, and then, in an even tone, he replied, "Yesterday morning."

Sakura barely managed to keep her expression even. Yesterday? Itsuki had not seen her for more than a week. Why was he lying? Still, for anyone who bothered to look, he appeared to be truly convinced of his words.

"And before that?" the squad leader pressed.

Itsuki flicked a glance at her, one which she could not read, before turning his attention back to his interrogator. "The day before yesterday."

"You see her very often," another Root operative commented, sounding suspicious.

"Yes."

"Why?"

There was a pause as he slanted another glance at her, and to her bewilderment, she saw just a hint of amusement in his dark eyes. The whole situation had been bizarre up to now, so what else was Itsuki up to?

"We are lovers."

And Sakura bit back a gasp just before it managed to escape her lips.

000

* * *

000

He recognized them.

Not their personal identities, but he recognized the uniform and the expressions on their faces. He was certain that he had seen them before at close range in the past. It was frustrating to say the least that he could not put names and dates or events to the faces before him.

He associated a feeling of wariness with them, of caution, something he chose to heed fully. His subconscious recognized them, and that meant that they were somewhat significant. In what way, he could not tell.

He had been prepared for the possibility that they might recognize him, and was fully aware that he would have to kill them if that was the case. Away from the kunoichi, of course. But fortunately, none of them seemed to recognize him.

"You are lovers?"

The leader of the squad attempted to mask his surprise, but it showed through regardless in his tone. Itachi darted a glance to find Sakura watching the leader, her expression carefully blank. Good, she had managed to rein in her surprise.

"Yes," Sakura confirmed.

"With a civilian."

Sakura's lips tightened. "I fail to see how this concerns you. This is personal."

"Your priority is Konoha, not your personal life." The disapproval was clear in his tone. "Do not hold back information in the future."

"Yes," she ground out, a muscle in her jaw ticking.

The leader turned to the rest of his men. "Let's go."

Without further ado, the four Konoha shinobi strode out of the cave, not even sparing them a single glance.

The cave was silent now that the shinobi had gone, and Itachi allowed his suspicions to rise. The earlier encounter suggested that Haruno Sakura might be carrying out acts of betrayal against her country. For some odd reason, this did not sit well with him, this notion that she might be a traitor. It irked him, in fact.

His reaction baffled him, for it simply did not make sense. He had no ties to Konoha, none that he could recall, and even if he did, there was nothing he could do about it at the moment.

The shuffling sound of her feet against the ground broke into his contemplations, and Itachi looked up to find the kunoichi stopping in front of him. Her expression was troubled, and there was also a hint of confusion in her emerald orbs.

"Why did you do it?"

He gave her a questioning look.

Impatiently, she gestured in the direction the Root operatives had disappeared to. "You lied to them."

"Aa."

000

* * *

000

Sakura stared at Itsuki, waiting for him to elaborate. However, from the distant look in his eyes, she knew that he had no intention of doing so anytime soon. Damn it! The man was so evasive it was frustrating.

Reaching out, she grabbed a fistful of his cloak to emphasize the severity of her demand. And then she ground out, "That's not an answer. I want to know why you helped me when you could have easily told them the truth."

Unperturbed by her physical threat, he simply murmured, "That would not suit my purpose."

She froze at his words. There was something about his tone which sent an apprehensive shiver down her spine and she released her hold on him. "What purpose are you referring to? I thought you'd like to get me in enough trouble so that I get pulled away from the Shinjutama."

"You're wrong."

"Then explain," she ground out, clenching her hands into tight fists. "Or I'll make you explain."

He regarded her fearlessly, and much to her bewilderment, he seemed amused. "Violence against me will not solve your problems, Sakura."

"Why did you lie to help me?" she snapped. "I want the truth!"

"I did not lie to help you."

"Then why?"

"It is for my own benefit."

She eyed him suspiciously. "It is?"

"Yes." A small smile appeared on his lips. "Konoha wants the Shinjutama. If they disposed of you, then I will have to contend with a new shinobi they would undoubtedly send in your place."

What was he getting at? "And you don't want that."

He nodded.

"Why?"

"With you, I know what to expect. Besides, it is unlikely that the other shinobi will allow me to approach this area without killing me."

She stiffened at his words, affronted. "Wait! Are you implying that I'm a bad shinobi?"

He said nothing, and that was enough of an answer for her. Cheeks heating up, she glared at him, "And what do you know about shinobi, anyway?"

"It is merely common sense."

"Care to explain?"

"Shinobi is generally more powerful than civilians, and would have no trouble subduing them. It is not difficult for one to remove the unwanted presence of a civilian, should they wish to do so," he told her pointedly.

She seethed. The man had some nerve, talking like this when she could knock a hole through his head with a single punch. "You think I'm too soft."

"It could be described in such a manner, yes," he confirmed mildly.

She wanted to shriek in frustration. "I can do it, you know," she all but threatened.

He seemed unfazed. "I'm not saying you cannot."

"Then what are you saying?" she retorted heatedly.

"You simply will not."

Her lips compressed in anger, and then she bit out, "And why are you so sure of that?"

"Because you, Haruno Sakura…" he paused briefly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. In a softer tone which almost floored her, he continued, "You are different from the rest."

Eyes wide, all of the anger she had felt leached away, leaving her to stare at him disbelievingly. And then realization dawned and she felt her cheeks heat. He had not meant to belittle her, after all. His tone and his expression told her that much. His tone could even be described as appreciative.

At that very moment, with him watching her with that small smile, she felt something twinge within her chest. The heat in her cheeks intensified further as she continued to stare at him.

And that was when a question dawned on her.

Was she attracted to him?

000

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000

A/N: There we go… a tiny hint of attraction. Maybe :grins:. Hope you've enjoyed that. Please review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. Here's the next instalment…

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 7**

Itachi sat at the table in the kitchen, warming his hands around a cup of hot tea as he stared out of the window. The morning sun was just rising in the horizon, casting a warm glow over everything it touched. Soon, it would be time for him to leave his house.

The past few weeks had gone by relatively monotonously, broken only by his visits to the cave to supposedly keep an eye on the foreign kunoichi. It did not escape his notice that he was beginning to look forward to these occasions, and that he enjoyed his interactions with Sakura even though it was usually limited to mundane topics. He had also noticed that although she had grown more at ease around him, she was still mindful of what she revealed. Any spies would find it difficult to extract any information about her village from her, he mused, respecting her for her loyalty.

Nevertheless, she had allowed several harmless facts to escape. On one occasion, when the conversation turned to food, she had given him the description of the dango they sold in Konoha. Itachi could almost taste the sticky sweet flavor on his tongue, even though he had not partaken in this particular food as far as he could consciously remember. This had simply reinforced the fact that he had been in Konoha itself at some point in the past.

The slow progress of the retrieval of his memory was frustrating, and Itachi had even begun to consider the possibility of openly asking the kunoichi for her medical opinion. He would have done so, if not for the fact that it would most likely reveal his true identity to her. Besides, his instinct cautioned him to hold back, to avoid such a route unless he had no further options, for the revelation of his true identity would most certainly change things between them.

Itachi frowned at the notion as he took a sip of his steaming tea. He had to question if such a change truly mattered, considering that she was simply a means to an end.

Wasn't she?

Logically, she was, but he could sense a discordance about it. And this suggested that perhaps, he genuinely wished to know her on a personal level, instead of simply utilizing her for information. But if this was the case, how would it affect his quest to rediscover his past?

Sighing mildly, he stood up from the table and brought the empty teapot and the cup to the sink. It seemed that at the moment, there were simply too many unknowns for him to find an optimum resolution to the issue. Perhaps he should delay analyzing the situation until later, when he possessed more facts about his past and Sakura. In the meantime, he would simply continue to see her.

With that thought, he took a small pack which he had prepared earlier and slung it over his shoulder before making his way out of his house. The villagers greeted him as he passed, and he could not help but wonder if he would choose to remain here as a civilian if the memory of his past returned to him, or leave and become a shinobi once again.

Once again, it was another question he found himself unable to answer.

As Itachi neared the perimeter wall of the village, a familiar figure walked through the gates. The woman looked up as he approached, smiling at him as she did so.

"Itsuki-san. Patrolling outside the village again?" Rin asked, stopping in front of him. "Becoming quite a regular thing, isn't it?"

"Aa."

She shook her head. "What exactly are you watching for? I haven't seen any bandits around lately."

"It is fortunate that you haven't, Rin-san." He arched a brow. "And I notice you've just returned without an escort?"

Rolling her eyes, the older woman responded dryly, "I can take care of myself, Itsuki-san. It's just a short trip to my friend's village, after all. And you've escorted me there before, so you know it's a safe route."

"Hm."

"Well, I'd better not keep you, Itsuki-san. I'll see you when you get back," she told him with a small wave.

He inclined his head at her, watching as she walked towards her home. It occurred to him that he was seeing her less frequently these days, which must mean that she was spending more time with her friend in the other village. They must be very close, for her to go through the trouble of traveling so often.

Shrugging the notion off as none of his concern, he continued to walk out of the village. As always, the invisible barrier tingled slightly against his skin as he passed it.

Once outside, he traveled swiftly, without a break. It did not take long for him to reach the cave. She was already there, his senses told him when he neared the area. By now, her chakra signature was familiar to him.

He made his way to the ledge adjacent to the entrance to the cave, as he did each time. It was a meager shelter, but Itachi knew subconsciously that he had settled in worse conditions in the past. He could not help but wonder then, if he had liked his profession as a shinobi, or was it something that he had simply taken up because there was no other option.

The notion of not having a choice did not sit well with him, he realized with an inward frown. There was always a choice, and one must ensure that the choice was something one could live with. Therefore, one must always consider the consequences of one's choice carefully before taking it.

Shaking his head slightly at the randomness of his thoughts, Itachi settled on the sheltered ledge and retrieved a book he had been reading from his pack. He could feel the flow and ebb of Sakura's chakra as she worked within the cave, and for a moment, he simply sat there with the book in his hand, allowing her presence to wrap around his senses.

Much to his surprise, the flow of chakra stopped abruptly. He expected it to resume, but instead, he felt her presence nearing the cave entrance.

Sakura emerged shortly, her gaze immediately landing on him. There was a small smile on her lips, one which was curiously hesitant. What could have brought her out here so early, he wondered. As she came closer, his eyes landed on a wrapped box held in her hand.

"Sakura-san," he greeted, inclining his head.

"Itsuki-san." She sat down on the rock next to him, and held out the wrapped box. "Here. Returning the favor."

He arched a brow in question. The box clearly contained food. So he assumed she was referring to the day he had shared his meal with her several weeks ago. Her gesture was unexpected, and for some reason, it made him smile slightly.

"You shared your bento with me that day." She shrugged. "I'm not the greatest cook, but it's not that bad. You might not be used to the taste, though, since it's different from how the dish is prepared here."

"I'm certain it is fine," he assured her. "Thank you."

He took it from her, noticing that it was still slightly warm. Slowly, he unwrapped the package to reveal the wooden bento box underneath to find that it contained rice, some beef and fried cabbage. The scent reached his nostrils, its familiarity making him still momentarily.

He felt a tightening in his chest as an unexpected flash of memory came to him, of him seated at a dining table in a strangely familiar kitchen. There were others around him, an older man, a woman who looked like an older version of Hitomi, and a very young boy with eyes like Kana. A meal was spread on the table, consisting of rice, soup, fish and cabbage.

"Here, your favorite, Itachi," the woman was saying as she placed some of the cabbage on his bowl of rice.

And he heard his own voice answering, "Thank you, Okaa-san."

Shock sped through him at the revelation. His mother. The woman was his mother and the other two were most likely his father and brother. That was his family. He had a family. He had a father, a mother and a little brother.

And it was then that their faces changed. His father and mother were now wearing different expressions, expressions of horror and sorrow and fear as thick red blood splashed across their bodies. Blood which was still warm as it sprinkled across his face.

Blood which coated the sharp blade held in his own hands.

A painful realization swept over him. He had killed them, the way he had killed the others within the walls decorated with symbols of red and white fan.

His head lowering, Itachi closed his eyes as his chest twisted further. He could recall the affection he held for them, and for his little brother. He fought to understand what had happened, but right at this moment, he could not fathom what could have compelled him to kill his own parents. And what about his little brother? Was he alive, or was he dead?

There was only one think that he could think of, which explained his actions. It must have been an order from his superiors.

"Itsuki-san?"

His eyes snapped open, the odd feeling in his chest disappearing as he lifted his head, making eye contact with a pair of concerned emerald orbs. The kunoichi was hovering over him, and his move had brought their faces closer together, his nose bumping lightly against her.

At the contact, her eyes rounded in obvious alarm, and she pulled back abruptly, almost losing her balance in the process. She quickly regained her footing, and immediately crossed her arms over her chest, not looking at him. His lips quirked in amusement at her clumsiness, but his amusement soon turned speculative when a flush began to rise from her neck to her cheeks. The contact had been innocent enough, so why was she so flustered?

"Um," she mumbled, her eyes meeting his briefly before darting away.

He regarded her silently. This kunoichi standing in front of him, clearly discomfited by something so innocent, was completely unaware of what she had given him. It was not the first time she had unwittingly done so, either.

Despite the unpleasantness of the memory, Itachi knew that this most recent recollection was one of the most important to him, and for that, he was grateful for her assistance. Without it, he would not have pinpointed the identity of his family members. But at the same time, he would not have known that he was responsible for their deaths. It brought forth more questions than answers, but such a thing was not unexpected.

"I'd better get back to work," the kunoichi murmured.

"Sakura."

She seemed to tense ever so slightly just before she turned to face him, but she did not question the lack of honorific to her name. There was still an odd hesitance in the way she looked at him, as if she did not want to. It was curious, but now that he thought about it, this was not the first time she was exhibiting such behaviour. In fact, it had begun several weeks ago, when she had been pursued by those nins from her own village.

The thought of the event made him frown inwardly. Sakura did not strike him as the type to be disloyal to her village, based on what he had discerned so far and yet, her actions suggested that she might be. Still, it was possible that she had a reason for doing so, and he found himself curious as to what the reason could be. Perhaps he could pursue this line of questioning subtly some other time.

But now was clearly an inappropriate time.

Instead, he gave her a smile to display his appreciation of the bento box she had brought him. "Thank you once again for the meal."

Much to his surprise, she froze at his word, blinking quickly before her face reddened further. It was strange, indeed. If he did not know better, he would have thought that she was embarrassed. Why was she so affected by such a minor thing? It did not make sense, as her behaviour all but suggested one thing.

The blush, the avoidance of eye contact, the overreaction to his actions and words; all these hinted that she could be attracted to him.

The possibility of such an occurrence was… surprising.

But strangely not unwelcomed.

"Um, I'd better go back in."

Itachi did not answer. He simply watched as she retreated into the cave swiftly. The notion of this possible development, and the nature of this development was something he needed to evaluate carefully.

If he reciprocated, it could lead to a deeper relationship between them. And with such a relationship, her defenses against him would be lowered further. It would definitely be a positive influence on his current objective.

However, the notion of using her in such a manner did not appeal to him. It seemed… distasteful to do so despite the fact that it was clearly the best strategic option.

Itachi frowned thoughtfully as he stared down at the bento box.

How should he proceed with this latest information?

000

* * *

000

The rhythmic taps were louder than usual, and Sakura figured that it must be raining hailstones for it to be so noisy out there. Her lips curved into a smile, when she thought of Itsuki running through that weather to get back to the village. As diligent as he was, she doubted he was mad enough to keep watch on the cave in this weather.

Was he?

Her brows furrowed slightly, and then she took her hands from the Shinjutama and left the inner cavern to walk out to the entrance. She was immediately assaulted by an icy gust of wind, which made her retreat quickly back into the inner cavern. But she had caught sight of the rain of hailstones pelting down relentlessly against the darkness of the night sky, before she returned to the Shinjutama. The weather seemed to be getting worse.

Earlier in the day, she had left him as soon as he had accepted her offer of food. For a moment, she could have sworn that he seemed almost stunned when he looked down at the meal, which had confused her. But the expression was fleeting, and it was soon gone. She finally figured that he was probably just surprised by her gesture.

And then she had stupidly gotten too close to him, so close that she could just feel the brush of his warm breath against her lips in that one moment when their noses bumped. There was no mistaking the jolt of desire which had shot through her then.

She groaned out loud when she realized what she was thinking.

Several weeks ago, this whole thing had just been a question nagging her mind. This 'thing' being the possible attraction she felt for the man. And then she found herself unable to stop thinking about it, questioning the sanity of being attracted to a civilian while on a mission in a foreign country, and wondering if there was any chance it would work. The more she had thought about it, the more the idea solidified. And now, it was almost as if she could not escape thinking about him.

A scowl made its way across her features as she stood in front of the Shinjutama. She was really pathetic, she decided. So much for being independent. Just because she was alone here in a foreign country, it did not mean that she should latch on to the first available person she found. Hell, she had lasted a year or so alone, hadn't she? And now why was she suddenly lonely for companionship?

Because loneliness had to be the only reason for her sudden, unwanted attracted towards Itsuki.

Although unwanted, the feeling was certainly persistent, she groused inwardly. She could not even put her finger on _why_ she was attracted to him in particular. There were many male shinobi in Yugakure, after all. Itsuki was just a civilian who was suspicious enough of her, and cared enough for his village to keep watch on her week after week.

But he was different, the voice in her head whispered. He was different from all the civilians she knew. For one, he carried a sort of quiet confidence and physical grace that one seldom saw in civilians. Then there was his mind. She had enough conversations with him by now to know that he was very intelligent, probably as intelligent as someone like Hyuuga Neji. Itsuki also seemed to possess an inner strength, which she had seen in how immovable he could be when he put his mind to it.

She frowned when something suddenly occurred to her.

Itsuki might be stubborn, but he would not be stupid enough to stay out there in such a weather because he wanted to keep tabs on her, could he? But the more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that he was probably out there.

Expanding her senses, she soon confirmed that her suspicion was indeed, correct.

Grimly, she turned away from the Shinjutama, walking quickly out of the main cavern through the tunnel to the entrance. Once again, the frigid wind blew right at her, pelting her with small drops of ice. But this time, she did not stop until she stuck her head out of the entrance.

And there he was, standing with his back against the cave wall as he stared out at the violent weather. She blinked disbelievingly, hardly able to comprehend the idiocy of the man. And just a few minutes ago, she had been thinking that he was intelligent. She could tell that he was clearly soaked, judging by the fabric plastered against his skin. Any more of this, Itsuki would catch hypothermia.

As if sensing her presence, he turned to stare at her.

"Are you out of your mind, Itsuki? You're still here?" she called out over the wind. "Go home!"

He shook his head, his bare scalp glistening with moisture. "Not now," he responded blandly.

"Then why didn't you go home earlier?" she cried out incredulously. "It's pelting down with ice out there!"

"I noticed." His tone was flat.

"Funny," she hissed under her breath.

She had two options now and she was torn between them. On one hand, she did not want to invite him into the warm, dry cave. Because she knew that if she did so, he would be sharing that space with her until the weather settled down. They would be alone, in a small, enclosed space. And that was a very, very bad idea because she already had problems keeping her mind off him.

On the other hand, she probably could not live with herself if she left him out there in the cold, wearing wet clothes and clearly on his way to catching hypothermia. That was simply cruel.

Already knowing what her decision would be, she groaned inwardly. She would simply have to behave _normal_ around him, and make sure that he did not suspect anything, if he hadn't already, considering her earlier fluster around him. He struck her as being quite a perceptive person, for some reason. And anyway, she could not avoid him indefinitely, so she might as well get used to having him around. Besides, if the reason for her crush was loneliness, perhaps spending time in his company would help her get rid of it. Perhaps talking to him would put things in a better perspective.

"Are you alright, Sakura?"

Her eyes snapped to his. He was unbelievable. She was the one who should be asking the question. Who was the one standing out in the freezing cold without adequate shelter?

Expelling an exasperated huff, she said with no small amount of resignation, "I still think you're out of your mind. But at least come into the cave."

000

* * *

000

Itachi inclined his head in acceptance of her offer. It was the invitation he had been waiting for. Without hesitation, he walked away from his meager shelter and entered the dry cave, resisting the urge to sigh in contentment.

"I can't believe you just stayed out there," she muttered as she went to her backpack, which was lying beside the Shinjutama. "That's just so foolish."

He watched silently as she pulled out what appeared to be a long piece of fabric. A towel, he concluded when she thrust said fabric in his face. He took it carefully, and folded it into half.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're soaked," she pointed out flatly. "You should have gone back to the village while you could. Why did you stay out there?"

"You're aware of my reasons."

An exasperated huff left her. "I'm not damaging the Shinjutama," she cried out, clearly irritated. She gestured at the gemstone. "Look, it's all intact. See?"

"Then what are you doing to it?"

She pressed her lips together, not answering his question. Instead, she jabbed a finger towards the back of the cave. "Go warm up in the hot spring back there before you get ill. I'm not wasting any chakra to heal you."

Still, beneath her bluster, he could sense something more. Perhaps concern, he thought as his lips tilted in amusement.

Turning away, he walked in the direction she had indicated, entering a natural tunnel. His surrounding gradually darkened as he walked further and further away from the glow of the Shinjutama, but soon, he saw the underground hot spring resting in a smaller cavern at the back of the cave.

Steam wafted upwards from the murky surface of the mineral-rich water, its scent warm and welcoming. Itachi glanced over his shoulders, noting that he was not in the line of sight of the kunoichi in the other cavern. Even if she could see him, it did not matter, surely. Male bodies, nude or otherwise, were not unfamiliar to kunoichi who had spent years living in close quarters with their male teammates.

The sudden revelation made him still while in the process of removing his attire. He did not know how he knew the information, but he was quite certain that shinobi cells were composed of members of both sexes. Which mean that Sakura had teammates, at some point in the past. He wondered where they were now.

The question continued to play at the back of his mind as he continued to undress, and then lowered himself into the hot water. Heat stung his cold skin, but not unpleasantly, and he allowed his eyes to slide shut when he rested his back against the smooth rock lining the spring.

Vaguely, he recalled that she had bathed in this spring before, when she had been pursued by her own shinobi. He was still curious about what she had done to set such a thing in motion, and it kept leading him back to the idea that she was not wholly loyal to her country. But that did not conform to what he knew of her so far. It was truly puzzling.

Once warmed through, he stood up and wiped himself with the towel she had lent him. When he was dry, he glanced at his wet clothing and decided that it would be foolish to put them on. Besides, he did not wish to present the kunoichi with more opportunities to insult his intelligence, and putting on damp clothes in this weather would certainly warrant such an insult.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, he left the small cavern. He kept his steps silent as he returned to the main area of the cave, wishing to view her at work. However, the moment he emerged at the inner cavern, his presence was noticed.

She snapped towards him, her chakra faltering slightly even though her hands did not leave the Shinjutama. He saw her eyes widen briefly before she quickly resumed control, her focus back on the gemstone. Her hands were pressed against the surface, and the pulses of chakra seemed to be precisely measured. Itachi could not help but notice her impressive chakra control. What type of kunoichi was she? He doubted that she was average. Something told him that she was anything but average.

So, he asked, "Are you considered a good kunoichi?"

She did not take her eyes off the Shinjutama. "What kind of a question is that?"

"Would you describe your skills as average, or otherwise?"

Her brows furrowed. "Shinobi don't usually announce their abilities to strangers, Itsuki."

The lack of honorific to his name for the second time did not go unnoticed, but he decided not to comment on it. It suggested that she felt comfortable enough with him to do so, which was his objective all along. Instead, he responded to her comment with, "I'm simply curious. I mean you no harm."

She turned to him, this time, wearing a slightly incredulous look. It was almost as if she thought it was unthinkable that he would even consider that she was afraid of him inflicting any form of harm on her. Then again, to her, he was a harmless civilian.

A vein in her forehead twitched as her eyes flickered away from him, and then, in a slightly irritable voice, she ground out, "Would you put on some clothes? You'll freeze in just that towel."

He held up the clothes he had worn earlier. "These are still damp."

An odd strangled sound came from her, and then, much to his surprise, her chakra slowly dissipated until it was gone. Taking her hands away from the Shinjutama, she turned to him with a scowl.

"That towel is not enough," she pointed out. "Give me your clothes."

Wordlessly, he handed her the bundle of damp fabric and watched with interest as she placed it on a dry rock which was nearly. Her arms began to glow as she ran her palms over the damp cloth. Steam rose off his wet clothes, forming into globules of water in her hands as she worked. Once they had grown to about the size of her fist, she flung the globules aside. She continued until the damp patches began to disappear.

It was a useful skill to possess, he realized.

"Here," she said, lifting up the fabric to assess it critically. "Not completely dry, but it'll do, I think."

He took his clothes from her, noting that it was now pleasantly warm. "Thank you."

She turned back to the Shinjutama. "I won't look," she told him. "So you can put on your clothes here if you want."

He nodded, although she could not see it, and then proceeded to dress. She might be not entirely comfortable with his partial nudity, but she was not overly traumatized either. However, she had avoided looking at him unless necessary, perhaps thinking it was rude. Her lack of concern of a nude man being in the same enclosed space with her lent credence to his earlier assumption, and it brought forth the question in his mind.

"Do you have teammates?" he asked. Now fully dressed, he settled on the floor, back against the cold cave wall.

She tensed slightly, but did not look at him. "Why do you ask?"

"I was under the impression that shinobi work in teams. And yet, you're alone."

He could almost see her weighing the wisdom of answering him, judging if he could somehow use the information against her, it seemed. Finally, her form seemed to relax, and the glow of her palms dissipating as she turned to face him. He was surprised when she approached him and sat down next to him, leaving a distance of a couple of feet between them.

Staring at the opposite wall of the cave, she answered, "You're right. We usually work in teams."

"Where are your teammates?"

She sighed, her eyes taking on a faraway look. "We split up."

Noticing the hint of sadness underneath, he felt compelled to assure her, "Perhaps you will reunite sooner than you think. Perhaps assigned on the same mission after this one."

"It's not quite like that." Her lips twisted sadly. "They defected from Konoha. Means that they're now missing nins."

He was surprised by her admission, but it began to give him an insight of why she was lying to the Leaf ANBU several weeks ago. Deciding to push subtly, he murmured, "They are traitors, then."

Her reaction was immediate. Body tense, she shot to her feet to pin a glare down at him. "They are NOT traitors," she all but snarled.

"I've offended you," he responded without hesitation, without heat. "I only assumed the term was synonymous with those who betray their village."

She closed her eyes, seemingly deflating. It occurred to him then that he did not like the dejected look she now wore. Somehow, it did not suit her. This topic disturbed her, and it showed.

"They are loyal to our previous Hokage. But they just don't agree with the current one." With a sigh, she sat back down beside him. "So they left."

"And you didn't."

She slid a sideway glance at him. "Obviously."

Genuinely curious, he asked, "Why not?"

She averted her eyes. "I have… things to do." Her lips quirked as she added, "And no, I can't tell you any more. I might accidentally spill something confidential."

Knowing that it was pointless to push her at this juncture, he gave her an amused smile. Attempting to lighten her mood, he asked, "Are you certain you haven't done so already?"

She blinked at him, surprised. And then the quirk of her lips morphed into a wide smile. "I believe this is the first time I heard you joke." She adopted a thoughtful look. "That's a joke, right?"

"Perhaps."

As she laughed lightly, an odd warmth washed over him. It occurred to him then that he would not mind having more of such conversations with her again.

And it did not escape his notice that his desire was completely unrelated to the retrieval his memories.

000

* * *

000

Sakura watched the cave entrance with a mix of annoyance and trepidation as the snow began to pile up at an alarming rate. The rain of hailstones had now been replaced by snowstorm which made it impossible for them to leave.

She groaned inwardly when she realized that she could do nothing but wait till the bad weather ceased. Her session with the Shinjutama had been completed hours ago, and if the weather was better, she could have left by now.

Slowly, she turned and walked back into the cave.

Itsuki was sitting at the back, close to the fire she had built earlier, reading another one of his classical literature in the flickering light. At least he was clothed now. The man had given her a shock when he had just appeared earlier wearing nothing but a damp towel, displaying the sleek muscles which adorned his abdomen. She had quickly averted her gaze before her wayward eyes could stray anywhere else, but she had seen enough to know that his subtly muscled torso and arms were beautifully unblemished.

In fact, she was certain that his image was permanently burned in her mind now.

And he did not seem bothered by it at all. Had he no sense of modesty? One simply did not parade around half-naked in front of members of the opposite sex. It invited trouble of all kinds.

She released a long breath in a hiss, rubbing her forehead. His presence here already rattled her without the added complication of _this_ fueling her wayward thoughts. And what made things worse today was the realization that she was actually _comfortable _talking to him. He was not judgmental, nor did he pry. He was simply… interested. And she just needed someone to talk to. Really talk.

It was kind of flattering, actually, to have his attention in this way. The way things were going, she definitely was not getting any closer to getting rid of her attraction for him. She wondered what he would think if he found out about it. How did a civilian view a kunoichi?

"You look amused."

She turned to find him watching her, his head tilted slightly to one side. "Just thinking about… uh… relationships, that's all."

"It must be difficult for a shinobi to manage any form of permanent relationship," he commented.

"I guess you're talking about the nature of our jobs."

He inclined his head, but said nothing else.

She shrugged. "We make friends, but they are usually in the same profession. Civilians tend not to understand what we go through, so sometimes conversations can get a bit tricky. They get uncomfortable with some of the things we say." At this, she gave him a wry look. "Well, I think you might be an exception, though."

"And why is that?"

"You don't…" She gestured around as she searched for the right word. "I don't know… I get the feeling that you don't _judge_. You just listen."

"There is nothing to judge. Besides, you have not told me much."

"Well, there's that as well, I suppose," she chuckled. She suddenly recalled their first few meetings, and now felt comfortable enough to ask, "By the way, why are you so interested in shinobi stuff?"

"Is it not obvious?"

"No," she replied. "So?"

He took on a thoughtful look. "To many civilians, the profession of a shinobi is something unknown. And thus, something to be cautious of. They get… uncomfortable, like you said."

She frowned, but she understood very well what he meant. It was human nature to be wary of things one was not familiar with. "And you? Do you feel that way?"

He gave her an unreadable look. "It is not different from any unfamiliar subjects. So, if one takes the time to study and understand what being a shinobi entails, one would perhaps feel differently about it."

"Oh, so I'm just a specimen for you to study and assess now, am I?" she asked him, planting her hands on her hips as she glared mockingly down at him.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," he admitted with a small quirk at the corner of his lips.

Shaking her head, she chuckled. His frank admission was unexpected, but she guessed it explained a lot of things about his behaviour. He struck her as someone very observant and inquisitive, traits which suited him well, she thought.

"So what do you make of it so far? Life of a shinobi, I mean?" she asked inquisitively. "Since you've been… uh… studying me."

"I only possess a limited knowledge." He gave her a pointed look. "You're not very forthcoming with information most of the time."

"But you must have formed some sort of opinion, right?"

"Aa." His expression turned thoughtful again. "The profession is a difficult one."

Interested now, she asked, "How so?"

"Shinobi is human, but seemed to be trained to behave otherwise."

She wanted to shake her head, to deny it, but there was _some_ truth in his words. "You can tell this from just watching me?"

"Not only you. The indications are there if one took the time to observe. It seems that a shinobi is expected to carry out task as ordered, removing any personal interest from it. However, one cannot always remove oneself from such things. A shinobi is human, after all, and it would be unreasonable to expect otherwise, even though a shinobi were raised on different values than civilians."

"It's not that bad, really," she remarked, rather weakly.

"No?" He raised a brow. "You would kill a friend if your leader orders it? Your closest friend? Your family? You would obey without question?"

Ice rushed through her veins at the thought of harming Naruto or Kakashi or any of her other friends. She had not been ordered to do so, but what if she was to receive such an order one day? She knew that it was not impossible.

"No…" she admitted. "I'll at least question it first."

He inclined his head. "That is sensible, in theory. Reality is most likely not as simple. Would your leader answer your question, or would you be punished for insubordination?"

"Depends on who the leader is, surely." It depended on whether it was Danzou or Tsunade.

"Still, you were trained not to question orders, were you not?"

A shinobi was simply a tool for his or her village, Sakura thought, recalling the rule book they were made to study in the Academy. A shinobi pledged his or her life to the village. And its Hokage, she added bitterly. So what did it make her, the fact that she had questioned Danzou's motives enough to be disloyal to him?

Human.

"A shinobi is not… free," Itsuki finally said. Arching a brow, he asked, "Do you agree?"

She turned away from him, not wanting him to see the expression on her face, not knowing how he would read it. And then, slowly, she answered his question.

"I really don't know, Itsuki."

000

* * *

000

A/N: That's it for now. Please review if you could. Thanks!!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 8**

This was the sixth time in almost two months that Itachi found himself inside the cave, seated on a raised rock with his unread book in his hand, observing the kunoichi while she worked.

Ever since that night when she had invited him into the cavern, the weather had continued to deteriorate several weeks afterwards. She had, without fail, gestured him inside with an exasperated scowl, and each time he had assented. Now, she seemed to have accepted his presence there while she performed her task for Konoha, something which he was pleased to note, for it showed a marked progress in his plans.

Besides, he found it calming to observe the flow and ebb of her chakra as she worked on the Shinjutama. Bathed in the glow of the gemstone and her own chakra, her features appeared calm, but there was no mistaking the level of her concentration on the task.

She had not answered his question in regards to the level of her abilities, but he accepted her reasoning for it. Clearly, she was careful enough not to trust blindly, even though she seemed more tolerant of his presence now. His lips quirked slightly at the thought that perhaps her tolerance had stemmed from her possible attraction to him. It was merely his own speculation, but he had seen hints which suggested that it might be true.

"Do you really need to keep such a tight watch on me?" she asked suddenly, breaking his train of thought.

"I am not adverse to this task."

She frowned, without taking her eyes off the pearlescent gemstone. "You've been keeping tabs on me for how long now? Five months?"

"Almost six."

"That long already, huh?" An oddly soft look came across her face then, and the sight of it made his chest tighten slightly, as if something was squeezing it. "It's funny how fast time flies by, don't you think?"

"Time passes steadily regardless of what goes on around it. The only difference is the way each of us perceives its passing."

Her eyes met his then, and she let out an exasperated huff. "Sometimes, you're far too serious."

A little intrigued by her proclamation, he asked, "How so?"

She gestured around them no particular direction. "I suppose it's the things you say. You sound like a psychology textbook sometimes."

Itachi did not know if he should be flattered or affronted. "How would you wish me to respond to your earlier comment, then?"

She grinned. "I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. That's just how you come across sometimes. It's just… _you_. And I think you should stay true to who you are, no matter what others think. But you know that already, don't you?"

"Perhaps," he murmured in response.

The way she had spoken those words, with a wide smile stretched across her face, suggested that she appreciated him for who he was, and would not seek to change anything. The notion was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. In fact, he felt… _gratified_ that she accepted him the way he was.

Another thing he had not expected was the bittersweet feeling welling up within him, unbidden. It was almost as if this topic of acceptance was a sensitive one in the past. And it was important enough for his subconscious to remember it, to react to it even though he could not grasp a specific memory to substantiate it. These memories seem to be resurfacing subconsciously, but so far, they were all feelings and reactions, intangible things, like the passing clouds that no one could touch or capture.

It frustrated him.

And yet, at the same time, he could not help but wonder how things would change between him and the kunoichi should his memories return to him fully. If she accepted him as he was now, then how would she respond to the fact that he was a shinobi?

His less than pleasant musings were broken when the flow of her chakra was interrupted suddenly. He was so in tune with the rhythm of the energy that its sudden disappearance was unsettling. When he turned to her, she had already broken contact with the gemstone, the glow of her chakra already gone.

He raised a questioning brow. "Finished so soon?"

Shaking her head, she responded, "No. I just need a break."

His eyes went to the slightly darkened shadows beneath her eyes, the shadows he had noticed for the past couple of weeks. "You had not rested well recently."

Her lips quirked wryly, but she avoided his gaze when she replied, "You're right. Didn't sleep too well the last week or so."

"Something disturbing you?"

A bark of dry laughter escaped her. "If only you knew what it is."

"What is it?" he asked, curious now. She seemed to be mocking herself, and he did not know what to make of it.

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

"Perhaps you should allow me to decide."

She scowled at him then, her expression pinched. But instead of finding it off-putting, Itachi found her expression strangely endearing. It was bewildering to say the least.

"Don't be so nosy, Itsuki."

The urge to tease her was strong, and he gave in to it. "What will you do if I persist in being… _nosy_, Sakura?"

Her eyes widened slightly, obviously not expecting his words. And then, as if realizing that he was teasing her, those emerald orbs began to twinkle with unmistakable mirth. "Have you forgotten that I'm a shinobi?"

"I have not forgotten. But you have not shown me any reason to fear you," he pointed out, deliberately pushing her.

"Oh? Now you want a demonstration?"

Anticipation rose within him, the feeling of battle-readiness so familiar to him that he could almost taste it on his tongue. Masking his true feelings, he quirked a challenging brow, and asked evenly, "How? I doubt you're physically stronger."

Her eyes gleamed. "How do you want me to prove it? To hit you?"

The temptation was too strong for him to dismiss, and so, he drawled, "I'm not certain a… _girl_… like you could successfully hit me."

"Oh!" Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You're really _asking_ for it!"

And she moved.

She was fast, but not fast enough. He even had time to conscious tamp down on his reflex, reacting as weakly as he could to prevent her punch from connecting with him.

And then he was holding her wrist between them, just inches from his face. Vaguely, at the back of his mind, he processed the information his own hand was feeding him; her silky soft skin, and the slender bone structure under her wrist. Her form was deceptively slight for someone who could wield chakra so well.

She blinked at him in shock, her mouth slightly parted. Then slowly, her gaze lowered to her restrained wrist. The change of expression was slight, but he could see suspicion flickering across her face. Itachi realized then that he had overdone it, and that he might have compromised his civilian cover. But he had not utilized any chakra in the move. In fact, he had barely made any effort at blocking her punch. Was she so unskilled a fighter that his meager attempt was enough to surprise her?

"You're fast," she muttered disbelievingly.

So, that was what his mistake was. He had to be mindful of his speed in the future. With that thought, Itachi released his hold, but he remained close to her. It would not do to appear guilty. Instead, he should attempt to turn her immediate attention away from his unusual speed.

"You were simply too slow, Sakura."

She puffed up indignantly. "I'm not!" she defended. "I was not trying to _really_ hit you, anyway!"

Her suspicion was no longer at the forefront of her mind, but Itachi knew that the damage had been done. Although she had been momentarily distracted from it, Sakura would think about this and perhaps arrive at conclusion that he was a shinobi. It was too late for him to do anything to remedy the situation now.

Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps things would be simpler if she had discovered the truth, but there was a part of him that balked at the notion; the part that did not wish for the uncertainty that such eventuality would bring.

"Where did you learn to move like that, anyway?" she asked curiously.

"Practice."

"That's it?" she pressed, frowning thoughtfully. "By that theory, if I practice long enough, I'll be capable of anything?" she asked jokingly.

"There must be an innate ability present first," he pointed out.

Her eyes narrowed. "So, you mean to say that I'm slow because I'm innately slow?"

"I did not say such a thing, Sakura." His lips quirked at the disgruntled look she now wore. "And I believe you're capable of much more than what you've displayed earlier."

For a while, she simply stared at him, as if she could not quite believe what she had heard. He found her reaction rather puzzling. And so, he tilted his head at her questioningly.

She blinked once, twice, and then sighed, directing her eyes to the smooth wall at the back of the cave. There was a wistful expression on her face now, and he could tell that she was reminiscing about something. Her posture reflected her sadness, evidenced by the slump of her shoulders and the way she was biting her lower lip.

After a long moment of silence, she finally turned to him. To his surprise, she was wearing a shaky smile. "Thank you, Itsuki."

He was not certain why exactly she was thanking him. So, he asked, "Why?"

"I just needed to hear what you've said earlier." Her lips twisted in a self-depreciating smile. "I know I'm not unskilled or anything like that. But as pathetic as it sounds, sometimes, I just need someone to say it, you know?"

He recalled his earlier words, and comprehension dawned. "You have been belittled in the past."

"Not quite." She sighed. "Maybe, just a little… left out."

Silence descended upon them again, and Itachi took a moment to mull over her words. The notion that someone had pushed her aside annoyed him more than it should. Based on what he knew from her work at the village, she appeared to be a competent kunoichi. A spike of annoyance jolted through him as he wondered if her absent, missing-nin teammates had anything to do with this situation. After all, they were not with her now.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the humid, mineral-filled air of Spring Country as he considered his response. This topic was clearly a sensitive one as far as the kunoichi was concerned, and he did not wish to add to her despondency. He only wanted to ease it, even though he knew that technically, the matter had nothing to do with him.

And finally, he found the words. "There are those who are fated to find their paths alone. And that does not mean that there is anything wrong with them. In fact, some might say that they will grow stronger than the rest."

She stared at him wide eyed as she took in his words, and then, like a ray of sun peeking out from a cloudy sky, she smiled. Something within him reacted at the sight, flooding him with a delicious warmth. And then the smile turned into a soft chuckle as she shook her head slowly side to side.

And just like that, her previous gloominess disappeared, leaving him to marvel at the speed her mood could shift. It kept him on his feet. It kept him… interested. She was different from everything he knew, and he could not find a reason to complain.

"I should really borrow your books one day," she said lightly. "The psychology ones. Not the classics."

Itachi only smiled in response.

000

* * *

000

Sakura had lost count of just how many times she had travelled to Suna, but each visit seemed to be more tedious than the previous one. She was not stupid. She knew why it was happening.

It was Itsuki.

The man had wormed himself under her skin and to her, those weekly meetings of theirs was like a drug to an addict. She missed him, knowing that she would not see him this week because she was in Suna and would not see him until one week later.

Idly, she wondered if anyone would say anything if she dragged him along for her next trip. She could do with his company, after all.

But that was provided he agreed to come with her in the first place.

She groaned inwardly at her own thoughts. _Haruno Sakura, you are doomed,_ she told herself. It was clear that her attraction towards Itsuki was growing by leaps and bounds as the weeks passed, and she could not help but wonder why was it that she should be attracted to someone who clearly was not even within her own circle. He was a civilian of a foreign country, for goodness sakes. How was it supposed to work out?

She deflated at the thought. Her attraction to him, as far as she knew, was one-sided. He might think that she was just a nuisance, although his behavior towards her suggested nothing of that sort. Itsuki was genuinely nice to her and made the time she spent in the cave a lot more enjoyable. If he thought that she was a nuisance, surely he would be a whole lot more unpleasant to her.

Before she could continue the thought, the shuffle of paper against paper caught her attention and her eyes snapped up. She had been sitting there, lost in her own musings as the ANBU Root seated across the table from her perused the report she had just handed over.

The blue-haired, black-eyed shinobi was someone she recognized. He had been to Suna several times before to collect her report and the Shinjutama fragments. Tera was his name, if she recalled correctly. And he was one of the less uptight ones. In fact, he reminded her of Sai somewhat. Perhaps even the strictest of ANBU regime could not to erase all forms of individuality from its operatives.

His action today, however, was a little out of the ordinary. As long as she had known them, they worked like automatons. They usually arrived at the room in Suna and immediately collected her specimens and report, asked a number of questions and then leave.

This time, Tera broke the routine by pushing a black-covered book across the grey plastic table, the scratching sound grating in the relative silence of the room.

Surprised, Sakura stared at the small, but thick book on the table between her and the ANBU Root. She knew what it was; she had seen it passed around sometimes, when she was helping Tsunade with her paperwork. But why on earth was he giving it to her? She was not an ANBU, let alone a hunter-nin.

"What is this for?" she finally asked.

"It is a Bingo Book."

She ground her teeth together. "I know that. But why are you giving it to me?"

The ANBU told her, his black eyes revealing no emotion. "There are several new additions to it. Danzou-sama wishes you to study the book carefully. There is a possibility that you might be contacted by some of those listed in the book."

Sakura knew exactly what he was insinuating. By now, Kakashi and Naruto were probably missing long enough to end up in there. Was Danzou really so stupid as to think that she would report her two teammates even if she saw them?

"Take it," the Root instructed.

Reaching out, she flattened her palm on the book and slid it towards her. "Is there anything else?"

"Uchiha Sasuke is now listed as well."

Sakura kept her expression bland, even though her heart jolted at the mention of his name. "I see."

"If you should encounter him, he is not to be killed."

Now this she had not expected. "Why?"

"Danzou-sama's orders."

"Of course," she said dryly.

The break in protocol was strange, especially when it involved Sasuke. Usually, missing-nins were to be killed on sight by hunter-nins. But she had nothing to worry about, she supposed. She had not seen Sasuke for a while now, and she doubted that he would come to Spring Country to pay her a visit anytime soon.

Kakashi and Naruto either, she guessed. They would not approach her directly and risk being caught. They knew that she was being monitored, after all. Kind of like Sai. And talk about Sai, she wondered how he was getting on in Konoha. She had heard nothing about him since the last she met up with Kakashi and Naruto. And even then, the news had been rather vague.

Her eyes went to the ANBU opposite her and decided that there was no harm in asking. "Have you seen Sai recently?"

"Sai," Tera echoed.

"Yes, he's ANBU Root like you."

"I wasn't aware that Sai is relevant to your mission."

"No, he isn't. But we used to be in a team, and I'm just curious about what he's up to. If he is okay. You don't have to tell me anything confidential."

The ANBU Root fell silent. There was an odd flicker in his black eyes which suggested that he was actually considering her words. And then, much to her surprise, he nodded curtly.

"Sai is well," he told her stiffly.

She blinked at him, a little surprised by his answer. She was almost sure that he would refuse to divulge a single piece of information to her. Tentatively, not wanting to push her luck too far, she asked, "So, he's back in the ANBU Roots rank, is he?"

"His rehabilitation was successful."

Sakura froze at his words. "Rehabilitation?"

Tera nodded once. "He was deemed to be overly emotional when he first returned to Root."

Sai had not told them anything about this. But why? Had he been brainwashed once again, or had he simply chosen to withhold the information because he did not want them to worry? Had he been playing them all this time, unbeknownst to them? No, if that was the case, he would have reported Kakashi's and Naruto's whereabouts by now, right? Unless he did not know, of course.

She felt her head pound at the vast number of possibilities running through her mind.

A scraping sound tore through the air as the ANBU Root pushed his chair back and stood up. "That will be all, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura simply nodded, a little absently, watching as he walked towards the door at the end of the small briefing room. She was still trying to process the information he had given her.

Once he reached the door, Tera halted with one hand on the doorknob.

"What I told you of Sai…" he paused, and without looking back, he continued, "Do not speak of it, or you will suffer the consequences."

Sakura's eye widened, half in fury and half in surprised realization as he left the room, shutting the door behind him with a click. Fury because he had the nerve to threaten her, and surprise because the ANBU clearly knew that he was not meant to tell her a thing.

So why did he?

000

* * *

000

Itachi inhaled the fresh scent of his surroundings, allowing it to fill his lungs as he took one step after another across the mat of dry leaves covering the forest floor. The leaves crumbled under his feet, but it was quiet compared to the steps of his companion. It was to be expected though, since Hitomi was a civilian.

Idly, he wondered what Sakura would be like as a travelling companion.

She should already be back in Spring Country. In fact, by his calculation, she should be working on the Shinjutama today, Itachi thought as he shifted the rolls of fabric into a more comfortable position on his shoulder. He wished to see Sakura at the first opportunity, but at the rate they were travelling, it was unlikely that he would be able to make it back to the village with Hitomi and then to the cave in time to intercept the kunoichi. The realization did not please him at all.

"Are you okay with that, Itsuki-san?" Hitomi asked.

He turned to the dark-haired girl he had escorted to the city and back. They had been traveling for most of the day, and it was obvious that she was growing weary. And yet, she still thought to enquire after him.

Nodding at her, he responded, "I'm fine, Hitomi." Realizing that it would be another several hours before they reached, he asked, "Do you wish to rest?"

She hesitated, possibly sensing his impatience to return, and then gave him a small smile. "Just a quick one."

They stopped at the base of a nearby mountain, and settled on the rounded rocks scattered about. Hitomi passed him an onigiri which he ate slowly, all the while scanning the area. It was not the most secure position to rest, and his instincts urged him to find a more sheltered location, but Itachi knew that they would not be disturbed. He sensed nothing dangerous for miles around them, after all.

And if anyone was foolish enough to disturb them, he would simply take care of it. Hitomi would not know if he used chakra in his battle, and he did not have to be as careful as he would have to be if the woman next to him was Sakura.

Sakura.

His sighed inwardly at the name. Lately, his mind kept straying in her direction. It was rather unsettling, how she was able to invade his thoughts even though she was far from him and they merely met once a week at the most.

"Minamoto-san will be pleased with this," Hitomi said suddenly, drawing his attention. He watched as she ran a hand along the roll of colorful fabric. "These will look so good when they're done."

"She will have a lot of work ahead," he noted.

"I'm helping, and so are others. I think we should be able to get it done in time for the festival." She gave him a pointed look then. "I can make you a new outfit, you know."

"It is not necessary."

"Red would go with you."

Itachi truly did not wish to deviate from his usual neutral colors. Red was very bright and it attracted attention, something he wanted to steer clear of. Besides, his own outfit was perfectly serviceable, and thus he had no need for a new one.

"Oh! I just remembered something."

He raised a questioning brow at her.

"I need to go visit a friend. It's her birthday today." She looked sheepish. "She lives in a village close to here."

"Aa." He stood up. "I will escort you there."

She raised herself to her feet. "You don't need to wait for me, though." Her cheeks flushed slightly as she continued, "Kaoru's brother can do that."

"Aa."

So, she was interested in her friend's brother? He smiled inwardly at Hitomi's transparent attempt to get closer to the man, deciding then that he should not interfere with her personal life.

"Let's go now?" she asked.

"Very well then."

He escorted her to the village in question, a normal civilian village unlike the one they resided in which was protected by the Shinju barrier. There, he met both her friend, Kaoru and the brother. Both of them were typical villagers, and he decided that there was no harm in leaving Hitomi there.

Without Hitomi by his side, he soon found himself travelling at greater speed across the forest. The temptation to channel chakra to his feet to increase his speed further was tempting, but such a thing was a definite giveaway to the fact that he was a shinobi disguised as a civilian. And at the moment, he was not prepared to be exposed.

It took him just two hours to reach the area where a certain cave was located. Even though the cave was still a mile or so away, he could feel the now-familiar signature of Sakura's chakra. His tension instantly eased at the realization that she was still there.

As he slowed to a normal walking speed, he frowned at his own reaction. It did not take a genius to come to the conclusion that his earlier behavior pointed to the fact that he was far too eager to see her for the feeling to be casual. Instead, the feeling was strong and insistent, not something he could simply dismiss, and it could only mean one thing.

Not certain he wished to admit such a thing yet, he stored the notion for further perusal and proceeded to travel to his destination.

Several minutes later, he arrived at the cave.

The chakra flow which he had felt earlier disappeared at his presence, and Itachi wondered if she had completed her task. If so, he would only be spending a short time with her this week. It displeased him, especially since he had not seen her last week, when she had travelled out of Spring Country to report to her superiors.

He sensed her nearing him as he remained stationary outside the cave.

"Itsuki?" Sakura called out just before her head appeared out of the entrance.

"Sakura," he greeted.

She stepped out fully, and then her brows rose with surprise when she saw the rolls he was carrying. "That's a lot of fabric you're carrying. Planning on setting up shop?" she asked in a teasing tone.

"They are for Minamoto-san's wife. She sews for the village."

She stepped closer, carefully running a hand down one of the rolls. "These are beautiful. Is she just re-stocking or are they for some special occasion?"

"Our yearly festival takes place in two weeks."

"Festival?"

"We celebrate the Shinju for protecting our village," he explained.

"Oh!" Her eyes shone with interest. "What is it like?"

Recalling the one he had participated in previously, he told her, "It begins early in the evening, with food and beverages."

Her lips twisted into a smile. "Naturally. These celebrations usually end up in the overindulgence of certain drinks."

"That true," he agreed good-humoredly. "It aids in the merriment."

She grinned. "Yes. So what else happens in the festival?"

"There is a dance."

"A performance?" she asked.

He shook his head. Although he had only experienced it once, he could still recall the throb of music and the energy of everyone in the village as they laughed and dance and drank their way till one thing blurred into another. "Everyone participates in it. The dancers travel in a concentric circle from the outer barrier to the center of the village. It ends at the Shinjutama."

"It sounds fun," she remarked.

He did not miss the wistfulness in her tone. Clearly, this conversation about the festival made her recall something, possibly from her village. He realized that it was an opportunity for him to probe further.

"Do you have such a thing where you come from?"

She nodded. "We have a similar festival as well, but no dancing. It's to celebrate the formation of the village."

His head tilted slightly in question. "What do you do instead of dancing?"

"What makes you think we do anything?"

"There is usually more to these celebrations aside from food and drink," he said dryly, arching a brow.

She laughed lightly, the sound tingling through him in ways he could not understand. It was not as if he had not heard her laugh before. No, it was probably more to do with the fact that _he_ had made her laugh.

"Anyway, we have a…" she paused in thought, and then continued, "Something like a display with a bunch of shinobi showing off their flashy moves. There's also some… um… games. More like competition, really. Throwing kunai at targets, that sort of things."

"Shinobi are competitive, then?"

"Sometimes," she admitted sheepishly. "When I was in the Academy, there was the girl who used to watch over me a little, until we fell out over…" She paused, her expression clouding visibly. Shaking her head, she continued, "Well, we compete over everything after that, after we graduated from the Academy."

Itachi immediately saw a flash of a classroom with rows of desks and seats. He felt as if he recognized the young faces around the room, but he could not put a name of any of them. The instructor in front of the students wore a hitai-ate with the now-familiar engraving of Leaf, saying something Itachi could not discern. And then Itachi heard a young voice, a voice he knew instinctively as his own, answering a question confidently. The instructor looked surprised at his knowledge, but when he recovered, he nodded approvingly.

And then the memory was gone before he could see more, but what he had seen contained enough information for him to draw a conclusion. It was a classroom in Konoha and he was there. It could only mean one thing. There was no other reason for him to see what he had seen.

He was once a Konoha shinobi.

A glance at Sakura told him that she was frowning slightly, lost in her own thoughts, and thus, missed his surprise. This most recent flash of memories made him wonder why Sakura did not recognize him. Surely, if he was a native of Konoha, she should at least have seen him in passing? Unless Konoha was so big that one could not possibly know everyone. Or perhaps it was because they were obviously in different age groups, which meant that she mixed with different circles than him.

All those reasons seemed unlikely to him.

"What else do you do in Konoha, when you're not doing missions?" he asked, wanting the conversation to continue in this vein.

"Usual things. Eat, go out with friends…"

As Itachi continued to listen to her recount of events in Konoha, an odd feeling came over him. It was almost as if these should be familiar to him, which confirmed that he must have hailed from Konoha originally. There were several disjointed flashes of memories now, no name, no dates… Just faces, happy, sad and there were many of this young boy with short dark hair, the one which Kana reminded him of.

His little brother.

Itachi gave himself a mental shake as Sakura's narration halted. It was best not to dwell overly long on this particular topic, he decided. At least, until he had the opportunity to process the information properly.

Recalling how the conversation had begun in the first place, Itachi turned to Sakura and asked, "Would you like to attend the festival?"

She started at his words, her eyes wide with surprise. And then, after a moment of deliberation, she smiled and nodded.

"I'd love to."

He had asked her on a whim, and until she had done so, Itachi had not realized just how much he wished for her to respond thusly. The easing of a tight knot in his chest was the proof of it.

It was then that he realized that she might not be the only one attracted to the other.

000

* * *

000

Sakura could _feel _the buzz of excitement in her blood as she moved forward with the crowd.

A tray appeared close to her, and she quickly snagged two small paper cups containing the local fruit wine before the tray passed. After passing one to Itsuki, she drained her own cup of thick, sweet alcoholic drink and then tossed it into the nearby bin. Goodness knew how many of them she had had, but they were being passed around generously, and they tasted so good, so who was she to complain?

The music from various traditional wooden flutes, strings and drums filled the air, interspersing with the conversations and laughter of the revelers. The drumbeats pounded a heady beat, and the rush she felt at the entire atmosphere was indescribable.

She turned a circle on the balls of her feet, head thrown back to see the different colors overhead. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes were strung from rooftops to rooftops, shining brightly against the inky black night sky, providing them a well-lit path to their destination, which was the center of the village. Not that they needed it, since one only needed to follow the crowd of happy, dancing villagers to reach it.

Sakura did not remember the last time she had so much fun, or felt so carefree.

A breathless laugh escaped her when a grinning young villager danced close enough to lift her off her feet, swinging her in a circle before depositing her back on the ground for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Strong fingers wrapped around her elbows to steady her, and when she turned, her eyes connected with Itsuki amused obsidian ones.

"This is great!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, glancing around at the sight of women and children being lifted and twirled to the music at various intervals. "Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm pleased that you approve," he told her, lips quirking.

She laughed, stumbling slightly as the crowd of villagers pushed against her as they danced. Raising her voice to be heard over the noise, she said, "Oh, come on. You _knew_ I'd love it."

"Perhaps."

She stilled suddenly, staring at him. Itsuki was just _looking_ at her, but she felt something within her lurch at the way he did it. It almost as if he was… No, it could not be. She gave herself an inward shake. He could not possibly be _fascinated_ by her, of all things. It must have been a trick of the light. Or perhaps the drink was more potent that she had thought.

Wanting to divert her mind elsewhere, she turned back to face the crowd. "So, what's next?" she asked, noticing that they had danced their way from the outer perimeter of the village to the central area.

"We'll move with the rest. Follow close behind me," he told her.

Her body bouncing with the beat of the drums, she did as he had instructed, making sure that her hand remained in contact with the thick fabric of his attire at all times. He was wearing the traditional robes of these parts, but unlike most of the villagers who had chosen to wear bright colors, his was made up of sober colors. The black pants were loose, but the way the lapelled brown top was cinched at the waist by a black fabric belt displayed his slender shape.

Not that she had not seen more of his body before, she thought with a flush to her cheeks when she recalled him wearing nothing but a towel.

Her train of wayward thought was fortunately broken when Itsuki glanced over his shoulders at her, as if to check that she was still there. It was then that she noticed that he had extended his own arm back, offering her his hand. She hesitated for a mere second before she took it, immediately feeling the calluses on his palms for the first time, feeling his warmth of his bare skin seeping through to hers. And feeling her cheeks heat further at the realization that they were _actually _holding hands.

Stop it! She gave herself an inward shake, telling herself not to behave like a teenager, even though she was still in her late teens. He was just making sure that she did not get lost in the crowd, and here she was, fighting the urge to tighten her hold around his fingers.

Still, she could not help but wonder how he thought of her. He had not reacted in any visible manner when she had appeared outside the village boundaries to wait for him to bring her in, wearing a loose, dark green dress with flaring sleeves. The Yugakure kunoichi had kindly advised her that it was the right sort of thing to wear to these events, and once she had entered the village, she found that they were right. She fitted right in with the rest of the women.

Itsuki stopped suddenly, and still lost in her thoughts, she bumped straight into his back with a muffled exclamation. Quickly, she jerked back, embarrassed by her clumsiness.

He pulled at their linked hand, urging her to his side before he slanted her an amused look. "I thought kunoichi is not supposed to be clumsy," he murmured close to her ear.

She gave him a mock glare, her embarrassment quickly forgotten. "Watch who you're calling clumsy, civilian."

Now his eyes practically _gleamed_ with amusement, drawing a chuckle from her.

And then the villagers began to hush each other, and the drumbeats rose to a crescendo before it stopped with a loud bang. Sakura was craning her neck left and right, wondering what was happening when the crowd behind her parted.

She felt Itsuki pull her aside gently but firmly, making space for a procession led by the village head, Minamoto, to walk through to the center of the village. That was where the Shinjutama the size of a head stood tall on a pedestal.

When he released his hold on her hand, she immediately felt the loss of his touch. However, her attention was soon drawn to the large clay urn which followed Minamoto, carried by two boys in their mid-teens. As it passed her, she glanced at its content and saw that it was filled almost to the brim with thick red blood. A queasy feeling rose within her when the metallic smell reached her, telling her that it was blood. She was not alien to blood per se, but a whole urn of it sloshing around was a little too much.

"I hope that's not human blood," she muttered as her eyes followed the urn's progression to the center of the village.

"I doubt it's human," Itsuki murmured. "It's most likely from a cow, or some other large animal."

His words settled her a little. Silently, they watched as the urn was carried until it reached the Shinjutama. And there, the village head called out for a cheer. Applause thundered around her and she swore the ground actually shook with the stomps of feet against earth.

The urn was then raised high and she watched with morbid fascination as the villagers flung the bucket of blood over the Shinjutama. Much to her surprise, instead of dripping down, the gemstone seemed to absorb the viscous fluid. In moments, all the blood disappeared from the surface and the Shinjutama glowed bright red instead of its usual purplish hue.

As the whole thing happened, the surge of some ancient chakra was unmistakable, and Sakura felt something within her respond to it, almost as if part of her felt _connected_ to this ritual. It was strange, and slightly frightening, and the only explanation she could come up with was the fact that she had some Shinju blood flowing in her.

But if this Shinjutama was absorbing the blood of whatever unfortunate animal the villager had killed, then what of all the Shinjutama fragments she had collected and allowed Danzou to use in the weapons?

All too quickly, she began to see the task she was performing for Danzou in another light, and she did not like it at all.

000

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000

Itachi watched the shift of the kunoichi's expression with slight concern. _Horrified _was the only word that came to mind when he noted the set of her features. The flush that had tinged her cheeks after those alcoholic beverages was now replaced by icy paleness, and the sight of it discomfited him especially since she had been so happy earlier.

"Are you alright, Sakura?"

She blinked, as if snapping out of some unpleasant thought. "I… um… fine. Just fine."

"Something is clearly troubling you," he pointed out, not accepting her blatant lie.

He heard a loud hiss of breath from her, even over the noise of the villagers cheering. When she spoke, her voice was a little unsteady. "I just realized, that I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing with the Shinjutama."

"Aa," he murmured, now understanding her concern.

She nodded. "This? What I saw today? It's not what I expected. I didn't expect the Shinjutama to absorb the blood." A heavy breath left her. "Actually, I don't know what I'd expected."

Quietly, he told her, "One could not always receive and not give anything back."

"What do you mean?"

He directed a pointed glance at the Shinjutama. "It is a powerful jewel, with many properties none of us truly understand. People utilize it for power, and with the power comes a demand for payment. Nothing comes free."

"You're saying…" She sounded choked. "That it takes… blood sacrifice?"

Itachi nodded, and proceeded to inform her of what he had heard from the villagers. "Legend has it that the blood used in the past was human. And that it was most potent when the blood belonged to those who had just died."

Sakura closed her eyes, looking visibly sick. It occurred to Itachi then that it was ridiculous for a shinobi to react in this manner, for he knew that shinobi _killed_, on orders. Blood and death and such things should not be foreign to a kunoichi like Sakura, surely.

Then again, she was a medic. Perhaps she had not been exposed to such things as much as the average shinobi. Still, something told him that there was something wrong with his assumption. And the only way to find out was to ask her for clarification.

"You disapprove?"

Her eyes snapped open to stare at him incredulously. "Are you kidding? What, should I approve of _killing_?"

"I'm merely asking for your opinion."

"There you have it. I don't _approve_." She stared at him a while, almost anxiously in fact. And then she asked, "What do _you_ think of it?"

He did not have to consider his answer for long. "I'm not in favor of senseless killing." A pause followed before he continued, "However, I suppose sometimes, killings could be condoned when the reason is justified."

Sakura averted her eyes from him, looking thoughtful.

Someone jostled her, and he reached out reflexively to steady her. A quick glance around told him that the crowd was beginning to spread away from the center now that the main attraction had concluded. From his past experience, the dancing would recommence and the drinks would flow once again. The revelry usually did not end until midnight at the very least.

As if on cue, the music began, the melodic strains reaching his ears. This time, however, instead of the throbbing beats they had experienced earlier, the music was gentler, softer, made for relaxation. Made for seduction, a voice whispered in his head.

And when Itachi glanced sideways at Sakura, he found her watching him with an uncertain smile. He reacted instinctively, reaching out for both her hands. Her lips parted slightly in surprise, but she did not resist when he placed those small hands high on his chest, and then slid his own around her slender waist. Until she had appeared in the dress, he had not noticed just how tiny her waist were, and now that he was touching her, he realized that he could almost span her waist with both his hands.

No words passed between them as they swayed together slowly, like many couples around them. The rest of the people, however, slowly faded away as Itachi concentrated on the heat of her palms on his chest and the feel of her curved form under his hands. By now, her look of surprise had evened out into a softer one as they continued to weave through the throng of couples.

Somehow, they managed to dance their way further out, into a less crowded area. The music still reached them, carrying far in the night air. Amidst her scent and the warmth of her body now pressing closer against his own, Itachi had the presence of mind to notice that they were now at the front of his own house. They could go in, dance inside, and perhaps progress even further. The urge to direct them both through the door was strong.

And when he realized where his thoughts were taking him, he paused abruptly.

She blinked up at him, as if disturbed from a trance of sorts. It took her a moment or two to form the question, "W-What's wrong?"

Itachi shook his head as he took note of the soft moonlight reflecting off her pink hair, at the flush of her cheeks, the brightness of her emerald orbs and the uncertain half-smile gracing her lips as she gazed up at him. She was beautiful, but it was not only her physical appearance which drew him. There was something else. And it was this inexplicable 'something' which made him feel warm and contented inside. He realized then that this feeling was nothing new when it came to Sakura, only something he had not fully comprehended nor accepted until now.

And now that he had accepted it, he wished to act upon it, to see where it would take them.

It appeared that she felt it too, for her half-smile slowly faded away, leaving an unmistakable expression of dawning realization. Her breath seemed to grow shallower, and Itachi felt himself reacting similarly as he leaned down closer to her. His arms gathered her even closer, one wrapping around her waist while the other slid up her back to the slender column of her neck.

"W-What are you doing?" she whispered, but she made no move to pull away.

And Itachi gave in to his desire.

000

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000

A/N: At last, huh? Hehe! Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always, please review if you could. Thanks!!

:elle6778:


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews for Chapter 8. Yes, yes… finally something is happening between them. I hope you'll enjoy this instalment - one of the longer chapters in this story, I think. And by the way, I'm going on holiday next week, so there will be no updates on any of my fics for a couple of weeks – just so that you know, okay? (winks)

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 9**

The heady rush of anticipation was indescribable as Itachi moved closer to her. He was vaguely aware of his heart rate increasing, and his body coiling in readiness for the contact, but he knew that none of these were discernible from the outside.

At the first touch of his lips against her, something clicked into place, something like a sense of rightness. It did not matter, though, because that single contact was not enough. Wanting more, he pressed against her more insistently, hearing her breath hitch, but much to his satisfaction, she did not break away.

The heady sensation intensified as he gathered her closer with his arms, sucking her bottom lip, eliciting a soft gasp from her. Her breath feathered shakily against his skin, the damp and warm air striking him somewhere deep inside. He nibbled at her lips, his fingers now threading up the back of her head to tangle in her silky hair as the other arm pulled her body flush against his.

Another gasp tore from her as her lips parted. It was too enticing for him to ignore, and he offered his tongue between her moist lips. And then a shiver ran up his spine as her arms came around him, sliding up his back as she allowed him entry. She was responding fervently now, her eyes closed as she returned his kisses without restrain.

There was a dim voice at the back of his mind warning him that this was not wise, that what he was doing would only result in complications, but for the moment, he ignored it. He could dissect the warning later, for at the moment, he only wished to indulge in the taste of the woman in his arms.

"Itsuki…"

The murmured sound of his alias broke into his haze of desire, causing him to still. The name was an unwelcomed reminder of his true situation, and it brought forth the warning once again. He truly should not be doing this under a false identity. It seemed wrong, somehow.

She pulled back, staring at him with glazed green eyes and swollen lips. He was probably just as breathless as she was, he decided as they continued to stare at each other. There was a flush on her cheeks that betrayed her heightened emotion, and he supposed like him, she had not expected a single kiss to be so explosive.

"I…" she croaked, eyes growing wider as realization sank in, and then cleared her throat. "I'd better go."

The urge to stop her surfaced, and he glanced around for a reason to ask her to stay. The sky overhead was dark save the twinkling of the clusters of stars. So he told her, "It is late. It is not advisable for you to return to Yugakure now."

She took a step away from him, averting her eyes.

Withdrawing.

The urge to halt her retreat came over him, but he resisted. It was odd just how much he craved her just after one kiss. She had ensnared him, even though it had begun differently. His intentions had not been to pursue a personal relationship with her, after all. So how would this affect his primary objective of regaining his memories?

"I'll be fine, Itsuki. I'm a kunoichi," she told him, her voice once again steady.

Yes. Her kunoichi mask was now firmly in place, hiding the laughing carefree sprite from earlier. Deciding that arguing with her would be futile, he simply nodded in agreement. It was clear she was seeking to escape from what had just taken place between them. And he understood her need to put a distance between them, to consider the situation without his presence, therefore he would allow her that opportunity to do so.

For it was something he needed to do as well.

"Until next week, then," he told her.

She nodded curtly, eyes still not meeting his. And with that, she turned and walked away from him, leaving him to stare at her retreating back. Her stiff shoulders and her slightly uneven gait told him that she was still very much affected by what had just happened.

Fireworks exploded overhead, showering colorful sparks in the sky, but Itachi barely noticed it. He could only watched as the kunoichi continued to walk away. Once she had disappeared into the darkness of the night, he allowed a heavy breath to escape. Slowly, he took the path that would lead him back to his house. He needed to assess the situation, to determine how he should proceed with this new development. It would not be an easy decision, for there were clearly two conflicting solutions.

The logical thing to do was to simply ignore his attraction towards, for it would be foolish to indulge in something like this considering that he did not know who he was, and neither did she. It was early days yet, and the fledgling emotions would no doubt disappear if he emotionally distanced himself from her now. He only needed to be close enough to her to extract information about Konoha, after all, and that did not require him to succumb to attractions of this nature.

Alternatively, he could allow himself the indulgence of pursuing this attraction. It was a tempting notion, more than he had thought it would be. He did not miss just how much more eventful his life had been since her appearance, even though he had been content before then. Furthermore, his desires were reciprocated, as far as he could tell. Even though Sakura had been skittish earlier, he could read her well enough to understand that she would not have responded to him the way she had done if she felt nothing for him.

The choices were now laid out.

The former option was clearly the conservative option, a route that would keep them at a distance from each other. And although it was clearly the logical option, Itachi found himself not very receptive to it.

However, if he chose the latter option, things could potentially develop beyond a casual relationship. This meant that he would have to disclose the truth to her once he regained his memory. Such a disclosure would certainly be unpleasant and had the potential to break apart whatever they had. Was he willing to risk this?

Reaching his house, he halted in front of it and sighed inwardly.

It was a decision he had to make soon, and he had a feeling that whichever route he chose, it would have a significant impact on his future.

000

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000

The moment she was out of sight of the civilian village, Sakura broke into a full run. Jumbled thoughts coursed through her panicked mind, but she blanked everything out, concentrating on pushing her muscles as hard as she could.

She did not know how far she ran, but she simply did until her muscles screamed for reprieve, and only then did she slow into a jog. Her breath escaping her in erratic puffs, she finally came to a halt beside one of the small steaming hot-springs dotting the country. She rested her hands on her bent knees as she fought to catch her breath, the sound ringing out harshly in the relative silence of the forest as her breath came out in foggy puffs.

Now that she had driven most of the panic out of her system, she knew that she could no longer avoid thinking about it.

What had she done?

She had allowed Itsuki, a near stranger, to kiss her. And worse, she had kissed him back. What was she thinking? She did not think that she had _that_ much to drink. Besides, she could usually hold her drink quite well. Was she really so attracted to him that she could not even control herself? She did not know what it was, but at that very moment just before they had kissed, when she had met his eyes, something had settled into place inside her. It was almost as if it was natural to allow it to progress.

Sakura let out a weary groan as she sank down to the ground, kneeling on the warm rocks around the spring. Hell, this whole thing scared her witless. She had not been truly in this position before. Except for Sasuke. Not to mention this was the worst time she could even think of getting involved in anything like this. The uncertain situation with Konoha and Tsunade meant that her position could change at any moment and she could not afford to start something with anyone.

But much as she tried to talk herself out of it, something inside her refused to let those excuses take hold. She had felt so _happy_ back then, a feeling she had not experience for so long. The last time she felt it was when? Two or three years ago when Naruto had returned to Konoha? And before then? Before then was the time before the disaster that was the Chuunin exams, the disaster which soon led to the disappearance of Sasuke.

Since then, happiness had been something that was terribly elusive. It was one thing after another, one crisis after another, and one death after another. Like there was no stopping the misery and the conflict and the sheer depression of the state everything was in.

Was that the life she would lead until the day she got herself killed by some enemy nin? Would she never get a chance to experience something good before that happened?

She had a chance now.

With Itsuki.

Would she take it? Would she throw caution to the wind and just _accept_ this? Could she do this knowing that it would have to end at some point, and when it ended, she would suffer more heartache?

Glancing around, she finally took note of the layout of the trees and the shape of the hotspring. Their familiarity told her that she was closer to the border to Wind Country than she was to Yugakure. The urge to run straight to Suna welled within her, almost overwhelming in its intensity. Perhaps the change of environment and the company of the three siblings would help. Perhaps she just needed to _talk_ to someone to get a different perspective on the situation.

Expelling a troubled sigh, she moved again. This time, she travelled in the direction of the Sand shinobi village.

000

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000

The sound of horrified shouts and shrieks woke Itachi shortly after he had fallen asleep. Jumping to his feet, he tugged on his outer clothing and went to the door to let himself out.

Standing there, he was met with a scene of chaos.

Many of the villagers, still dressed in their sleepwear, were standing outside their houses, horrified expressions on their faces. All of them were gesturing in a certain direction, and Itachi could see why. There, the inky black of the night sky was marred with plumes of grey smoke.

"Look! There's more smoke now!"

"Some of the fireworks must have landed on someone's roof."

"Whose house, can you see?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he slipped past the handful villagers who were gravitating in the direction of the plumes of smoke. He managed to get to the front of the group just as he reached the scene.

It was Rin's house.

"Where's Rin?" he asked without turning around, not recalling seeing the woman at the festival. "Is she home?"

"I think she went to visit someone in the next village," someone replied.

He grimaced as he surveyed the situation. The roof was burning, and as suspected, he could see some signs that pointed to the fireworks being the cause of it. If he did not put it out soon, Rin would not have a home to return to. He knew he could put it out quickly, or at least contain the fire so that it did not spread further, but he needed no witnesses to his act.

Turning around to face the villagers, he called out, "We need water. Quickly."

The villagers spun away at once, rushing in their urgency, shouting out loud for buckets and pails.

The moment Itachi was left alone in front of the house, he wasted no time in forming the seals required for a water jutsu. Following a sharp burst of chakra, a water dragon glided into the house. Although Itachi could no longer see it, he knew that the dragon was spraying water all over the inside of the house, including the underside of the roof beams. It ensured that the fire would not spread any lower, leaving the rest of the house intact until the villagers returned to put out the external fire on the roof.

Before long, the sound of footsteps reached him. The villagers soon appeared with buckets of water. Bypassing him, missing the damp ground in their rush, they flung the water from the buckets onto the roof. Sizzling sounds was heard as the water subdued the fire, and more smoke appeared, but soon, the fire was all gone.

Cheers rang out and the villagers patted each other on the back and Itachi soon found himself the awkward recipient of some of those pats. He should be used to it by now, but the ease with which they acted around each other still unsettled him at times.

"Someone should get Rin," Minamoto, the village head, said. "She needs to come back."

Another asked, "How? She's most probably at her friend's village, and it's hidden like ours. No one knows where it is."

But he had been close enough once, Itachi recalled. Perhaps he could call out for her once he was at the location where he had left her before. The villagers were right about Rin needing to return. It would not do to leave her belongings as it was in the soaked building.

"I will go."

They turned to him as one, eyes wide. "You know where it is?" one of them asked.

"I've escorted her there once."

Minamoto stepped towards him, eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Itsuki-san. I'll come with you."

Itachi shook his head. "No. I'll be fine."

Minamoto frowned slightly. "Are you sure?"

Nodding, Itachi returned, "It is not far from here." Not by shinobi standards.

"In that case, we'd better let you go."

And with that, Itachi broke away from the group and returned to his house for his cloak. Once dressed appropriately for travelling, he left the village and swiftly made his way across the forest. Even without chakra, he managed to move swiftly in the shadows of the trees, avoiding the natural hazards on his way.

It took him an hour or so to reach the area where he knew the veiled civilian village stood. There was nothing giving away the fact that the space beyond him, the space that appeared to be occupied by a cluster of trees and ground foliage, actually housed a small village. He only knew because he had seen Rin entering in the past. The barrier jutsu was a powerful one, and he marveled at the strength of the Shinjutama for it ability to fuel such a thing.

Feeling a little foolish for what he was about to do, but not seeing any other alternative, Itachi called out into the forest, "Rin!"

There was no response apart from the chirping of crickets and the occasional croaks of frogs. It was too early even for the birds to sing. Still staring in the direction he guessed the village to be, he took in a deep breath. If Rin was not close enough to hear him, perhaps the other occupants of the village would.

"RIN!" And after a pause, he added, "It is Itsuki. You need to return to the village."

And then he waited.

Not long afterwards, he sensed movement in front of him, although he saw nothing. A moment later, the figure of a man solidified as he walked out. The man had clearly just left his bed, judging by his bleary eyes and his rumpled clothing. He held a spear in one hand, and despite his drowsiness, wore a suspicious look.

"Who are you?"

"Nakamura Itsuki. Is Rin in your village?"

The man frowned. "Think so. Why?"

"Her house caught fire, and she needs to return as soon as possible," Itachi informed him.

At those words, the man became instantly alert. "Oh. You'd better come in then."

Itachi gestured at the unseen barrier. "I'm not allowed."

"Just come in with me. It won't let you in if you have any ill-intent, anyway. And it's not like you can come in again without one of us since you don't live here." That said, he gestured for Itachi to follow him. "I'm Katsu, by the way. Itsuki, huh? I think Rin mentioned you take care of the village security?"

Itachi nodded and then glanced around as he walked by the man's side. There was an almost imperceptible buzz of energy against his exposed skin as they walked through the barrier safely, not unlike the one he was used to. The village then came into view. It was smaller than the one he lived in, but it was constructed very much in the same manner. The streets all lead to the center where he assumed a Shinjutama stood, with other intermediate alleys and pathways connecting them.

"Rin visits her friends over there," Katsu pointed at a small wooden hut at the edge of the village. "The old woman is very sickly, and is bedridden."

They walked until they reached the hut, and then Katsu turned to him a little sheepishly. "Ah, do you mind waiting just to one side? I mean…" He gestured to the door. "They're really private people, and I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable. The old lady's daughter has some temper on her, as well."

Nodding, Itachi slipped to one side of the house, almost fully out of view just as Katsu knocked on the door. He heard a woman's voice asking who it was, and when Katsu identified himself, the door opened.

Itachi stood next to the window, managing to catch a glimpse as Katsu spoke to a dark-haired woman who seemed vaguely familiar to him, but at that angle, he could not see clearly. Curious, he snuck a glance through the slats of the window shutters, and saw the generous form of another woman on a bed, under thick covers. She was elderly, with blonde hair streaked with white and the pallor of her wrinkled skin was evident even in the dim light.

This must be who Rin was visiting all these times she had left the village.

The dark haired woman who had been speaking to Katsu soon retreated back into the house, shutting the door behind her. A light came on outside the bedroom Itachi was looking into, and he saw a glint of something on the elderly woman's forehead. But before he could look closer, the door to the bedroom opened, forcing him to withdraw before they could sense his presence.

Out of the periphery of his vision, he saw Katsu coming towards him. Casually, Itachi moved further away from the window.

"She said Rin will be out in a while. You want to wait here?" Katsu asked.

Itachi nodded. "That would be fine. Thank you for your assistance."

"Eh, it's nothing." The other man raised a hand in farewell. "Well, I'm going back to bed."

And with that, Katsu wandered away from the hut, leaving Itachi to wait for Rin to exit. Still a little curious about what was going on inside, Itachi slid to the side of the hut and glanced through the window slats again.

This time, he saw the silhouette of the dark-haired woman standing close to the more familiar form of Rin in the doorway beyond.

"You'll be alright for a while?" Rin asked, her concern evident even in the distance.

The dark-haired woman nodded. "I'll continue the treatment. When are you coming back?"

"A week or so." After a pause, Rin said in a very soft voice, "She's not responding as well as we'd expected, though."

"We need more medics." A sigh of frustration followed. "If only we can find more."

"The way things are makes it a little difficult on that front."

"I know." The dark-haired one shook her head. "If only we could get a word to Sakura about this."

Rin flicked her eyes to the elderly woman. "Her apprentice?"

The dark-haired woman nodded. "Her medical skills are almost on par with Tsunade's. With her help, we'd be able to fix this."

Itachi frowned as he absorbed the information. The medic these women referred to as Sakura… Was she the same Sakura he knew? In that case, what connections did Rin have with them? It was most puzzling to say the least.

He sensed them moving towards the door, and quickly peeled himself away from the window. Taking several steps away from the hut, he waited until Rin emerged. Her expression displayed her anxiety when she closed the distance between them.

"My apologies for disturbing your rest, Rin-san," he told her.

"Katsu said there was a fire."

Itachi nodded. "Your house is damaged."

Rin grimaced. "Anyone hurt?"

"Not that we know of."

A sigh of relief left her. "That's good." Casting him a small smile, she turned away from the hut. "Well, let's go."

As Itachi followed Rin out of the village and into the forest, he could not help but wonder if there was more to this woman than he had originally knew. There were already several incidences that indicated that she was not a common villager, but nothing as incriminating as this incident today.

In fact, he was beginning to suspect that like him, she was a shinobi disguised as a civilian.

000

* * *

000

Sakura stayed a little more than a week in Suna after sending a quick explanation of her detour to Yugakure using a messenger bird. She had helped create the research department there after all, so it was not too farfetched for anyone to believe that she had been called to do some troubleshooting.

The Sand siblings listened to her halting words, and had each given her their opinions, but at the end of the detour, although she felt less troubled, she was still no closer to solving her dilemma.

Knowing that she could not remain there, _hiding_, forever, she grudgingly made her way back to Yugakure.

Once there, she immediately dove back into her research on the Shinjutama. The display at the festival had given her an idea to pursue, and besides, the harder she worked, the less time she had to spend thinking about Itsuki. She was reluctant to test her theories, but the sheer _need_ to know compelled her to carry out the experiment.

Gathering the materials required for the test was relatively straightforward. She obtained a full glass of cow's blood from the butcher, and then grabbed two bags of blood from the hospital stores, one newly donated, and the other from an older batch. The medic in charge looked at her incredulously, but Sakura had merely explained that it was for some tests. Thankfully, the medic did not push her for a more detailed explanation. She would not know how to explain that she wanted to see if the Shinjutama _really_ took blood in exchange for power.

The very next day, she was back at her laboratory, placing the Shinjutama fragments in a line, each resting on a separate detection scrolls inked with black seals. The scrolls were something she had created when the project had commenced, and it was able to measure the characteristics of the fragment resting on it. The specimens were all identical so far, and she wondered what sort of results they would yield once she applied the blood.

Taking in a deep breath, she calmed herself and used a dropper to drip blood from each container directly on the Shinjutama fragments. One drop of animal blood on Specimen 1, one drop of fresher human blood on Specimen 2, one drop of older human blood on Specimen 3, two drops of animal blood on Specimen 4, two drops of human blood on Specimen 5, and so it went, each scroll glowing as the Shinjutama reacted to the contact.

Once she had dripped blood on fifteen specimens, leaving one glowing specimen without blood to one side as a control sample, she stood back and watched as the drops of blood disappeared into the Shinjutama. The gemstone took the viscous red drops in hungrily, and the sight of her made her slightly uneasy.

Regardless of her feelings, she had to continue. Her fingers came together deftly, forming the necessary seals to activate the scrolls. Before long, the scrolls were flashing, and the intensity varied from scroll to scroll, but it was clear what it meant. No small amount of horror coursed through her when she realized that her suspicion was confirmed.

The Shinjutama was certainly fuelled by blood, and its strength grew proportionately with the amount of blood and inversely proportional to the age of the blood. Meaning that the legend Itsuki had told her was probably true, that in the past, they had used live human sacrifices to increase the strength of the Shinjutama. Because fresh human blood meant a stronger Shinjutama.

She felt sick. And the fact that these shinobi who had carried out the sacrifices in the past were her ancestors made her feel even worse. How could they just kill off others for the sake of powering the Shinjutama? Because she was almost certain that was what they had done. The legends must have some basis in it in the first place.

And then her mental ranting halted when she realized something.

She was a shinobi.

She had killed and would probably do so again and again. On orders. What was the difference between that and killing to feed the Shinjutama? In fact, now that she thought about it, the Yugakure shinobi, with the exception of that Akatsuki Hidan, did not have the reputation of killing randomly. She had not heard of Yugakure being anything but secretive during the height of their shinobi days. And judging from the fact that her ancestors had placed large chunks of Shinjutama in various villages, it meant that the gemstone was actually used more for protection.

Not like the way Danzou was using the fragments.

Sakura grimaced as she recalled the questions she had been asked shortly after the commencement of her assignment. At that time, she had studied the Shinjutama enough to at least understand it a little. Those questions had clued her in on the fact that Danzou wanted to embed the gemstone fragments into weapons to strengthen them. Based on what she had learnt today, that also meant that each time the weapon sliced into flesh, its strength would increase.

Did Danzou know about this already? He had given her no hint that he knew of this particular property of the Shinjutama. However, since she doubted that anyone else was working on the Shinjutama, Danzou could have only gotten the information, _if he knew about it,_ from the legends.

She groaned out loud, her mind whirring with all the unpleasant possibilities.

What about her blood? The Shinjutama reacted to those with Shinju blood differently, after all. What result would the experiment yield if she was to use her own blood?

She glanced at the fragments resting on the scrolls, knowing that she could not use them to perform this particular experiment if she wanted untainted results. If she wanted to pursue this, she would just have to get a fresh batch of Shinjutama fragments.

It meant that she would have to face Itsuki.

Something within her clamored frantically that it was too soon, that she had not even thought of what she would say to him, but in the end, she sighed in resignation, knowing she could not avoid Itsuki indefinitely. Perhaps she could just brazen it out, and see where it took her, taking Gaara's advice of _'Your hysterics are pointless. You should confront the issue directly'_.

She scowled at the recollection. Easy for him to say; he was not the one who had lost his head and gave in to his hormones.

Still, his advice made sense.

Scowl deepening, she quickly swept the Shinjutama fragments into a secure vial strapped to her person and cleared away the testing equipment on the table. There was no reason to delay a trip to the cave, she might as well collect the samples, and hopefully, resolve whatever issue there was with Itsuki.

Grudgingly accepting that there was nothing else she could do, Sakura went home to pack a few necessities for her trip, her movement almost automatic by now. By the time she left her house and walked to the gate, it was already evening, but it did not matter. At least Itsuki would not be there until the day after, which gave her sometime to do some work and to compose her thoughts. Hopefully by then, she would feel less agitated.

A friendly chuunin on sentry duty waved at her when she neared the gates. "Going out on field research again, Sakura-san?" he asked.

She smiled thinly at the shinobi who was sitting cross-legged on the stone table, a clipboard on his lap. She really should not take it out on him. It was not his fault that she was in a foul mood, after all. She just did not relish the thought that in half a day or so, she would have to face the reason for her sleepless nights.

"Must be tiring, huh? Traveling so much?" the chuunin continued. "And you just got back from Suna as well."

"Yes, two days ago," she murmured, keeping to her story. "They needed some help with their research department urgently. Some problems appeared unexpectedly."

The chuunin gave her a look of admiration. "You're really skilled, Sakura-san."

She shook her head, chuckling uncomfortably at the praise. "Not really."

"Well, I hope you have a good trip."

With a wave, Sakura left the Yugakure compound, traveling quickly through the trees to her destination.

000

* * *

000

The forest was almost balmy today, a sure sign that spring was approaching, Itachi thought as he padded across the dew-dampened leaves carpeting the ground. The air no longer held the uncomfortable iciness nor the dryness of winter, and the days were growing longer. Nature seemed to be awakening again in anticipation of the sunnier season.

Perhaps it was due to the longer days, but the recent weeks seemed to have passed slower than Itachi had ever experienced, much to his displeasure. Still, now that it was once again time for him to go to the cave, he was unable to dismiss the faint twinge of trepidation within him.

The feeling only intensified as he drew closer to his destination.

Would she be there? Or would she be absent like last week?

The notion that she might have decided not to return unsettled him more than he had thought it would. Perhaps, by giving in to his own urges, he had inadvertently driven her away. Perhaps she simply did not wish to pursue such a thing with someone she thought of as a civilian, despite her rather obvious attraction to him.

Her reluctance was most exasperating, and…

Itachi's eyes widened as his senses tingled in recognition.

She was there.

He felt… _relieved_… that she was present. The surging sensation of anticipation of their imminent encounter was a foreign one, and he was not certain that he felt comfortable with it. It was troubling, all these emotions this pink-haired kunoichi incited in him.

The urge to do something about the situation was there, but he was somewhat wary of his unknown past. Still, he could not continue to entertain the possibility that his past would affect any potential relationship they might have. It would be foolish to allow this opportunity to pass based on something he could not substantiate. Yes, he admitted that it was risky, but perhaps it was a risk that should be taken.

Something in his subconscious warned him that he did not usually take open-ended risks like this and that it would be foolish to start now. However, Itachi decided that this time, he should allow things to develop as they would, to see where it took them. Perhaps his civilian persona was influencing him in his decision, giving him the sense of security to proceed in this manner. But at the moment, he could not find a solid enough of a reason to back away from the opportunity.

Sakura intrigued him. She attracted him and was, in turn, attracted to him.

He would deal with the future as it unfolded. At the moment, he would simply pursue her and accept that there was a risk of things going wrong. If she ultimately decided that it would be unwise to reciprocate, he would retreat. There was not much point in it if she was not fully willing.

And with that decision made, he moved again, walking calmly towards the cave. The shadowed entrance came into view shortly afterwards, and he smiled slightly as he felt her chakra jump in recognition of his presence. She knew he was there. Would she come out to greet him?

He doubted it.

If he had to speculate, he would say that this issue had been troubling the kunoichi for a while, and it was likely that she would shy away from him when confronted. It was not something he would allow her to do, however. Whatever they decided to do in the end, he would make the effort to persuade her to give this attraction between them a chance to develop.

A surge of anticipation washed over him, and his lips curved into a smirk of anticipation.

The hunt was on.

000

* * *

000

Itsuki was just standing there at the entrance to the main chamber, leaning against the smooth wall.

Just watching her wordlessly.

She simply inclined her head at him in greeting, determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing that what had happened last week still disturbed her. It was difficult, because she could almost still _taste_ him after all this time. And worse, her body wanted a repeat performance, while her mind was frantically running in the opposite direction.

What was wrong with her, she railed at herself.

And Itsuki? Itsuki had not said a word to her since he had stepped into the cave minutes ago. Now what did that mean?

She turned back to the Shinjutama, trying to focus on the extraction process, but the unsteady wavering of her chakra told her that she was failing miserably. It was just ridiculous, just how much she was affected by him even after the severe prep talk she had received from Temari, the useless teasing from Kankurou and the no-nonsense instruction from the Kazekage himself to stop being silly, amongst other impatiently spoken words. The trip to Suna had eased her muddled mind at that time, surrounded by the siblings, but now she felt as if she was back to square one again.

She huffed, getting impatient and irritated with herself. Gaara had told her to stop the idiocy and face the problem directly, and she had already decided that it was a good idea. So maybe it was time to act on it.

The moment the decision was made, she felt something click into place and determination instantly filled her. She spun around, hands landing on her hips as she stared at Itsuki unflinchingly.

"So, what was all that about?" she asked demandingly.

Completely unperturbed by the suddenness of her change in stance, he raised a questioning brow. "I assume you're referring to our embrace last week."

Embrace? "Yes, if you put it that way," she replied tightly. "Why did you do it?"

"You participated as well, did you not?" he asked instead.

What the hell? Her earlier determination fled, to be quickly replaced by irritation. She wanted to stomp her foot childishly. "I asked you a question, Itsuki! You started it. Why?"

He studied her silently, his dark eyes seemed to be boring into hers as their staring continued. And then a small smile tilted the corner of his lips. "Because I wished to, and would like to do so again."

Stunned by his frank admission, she could only stare at him wordlessly, unsure how she should respond to that. Itsuki, however, did not seem to be affected by the same affliction, for he simply strode towards her, his eyes not moving from hers. The tension between them instantly increased as he came closer and closer.

She had to make a conscious effort not to take a step backwards even though she felt cornered, like a prey under the watchful eyes of its predator. It was ridiculous, really, because she was the kunoichi and Itsuki was the civilian. _She_ should be the predator, not him.

And anyway, what should she do now? Despite all the amount of time she had spent thinking about this, she had not thought of what she would do if Itsuki came on to her again. But Temari had told her to give it a chance, to see where it led.

It was tempting.

It was tempting to see if this could work.

But wait, what about Itsuki? For all she knew, he was simply being a _man_ and the kiss was nothing more than an expression of his physical interest in her. And that his interest in her was _only_ physical. Kankurou had said just as much, that she might be reading too much into it and as a result, overreacting. He had told her to quit thinking too much about it. That the whole thing might not even be an issue in the first place.

Sakura glowered at the thought. Somehow, the idea that Itsuki was completely unaffected by the kiss apart from the instant physical connection while she could not stop thinking about it for almost two weeks aggravated her even further.

"Sakura?"

She jumped slightly, her troubled thoughts broken by Itsuki's quiet voice. "What?" she muttered irritably, taking an involuntary step backwards.

"Why are you wearing that expression?"

He was getting too close, forcing her to hold her arms out. "Stop moving!" she snapped, ignoring his question.

He kept coming closer, until she felt his chest pressing against her palms. Only then did he stop. "Why?" he asked in a low tone.

A shiver ran through her. His voice promised so many things that she could not quite wrap her mind around, but his eyes, his eyes were drawing her in. She felt trapped in those dark orbs, wanting to give in to whatever it was that he was promising her without words. Her heart was speeding up in anticipation, but of what, she was not too sure.

"Why?" he prompted in a whisper.

She threw caution to the wind. "Because I can't think with you so close!" she practically yelled.

His eyes flashed with unmistakable triumph. "Good."

And that was the last word she heard before she felt his lips on hers again, ensnaring her completely in the passion that followed. He was not gentle like the last time. This time, he was hungry, taking nips and drawing her tongue into his mouth. She could hear herself gasp involuntarily as shots of pleasure burst through her body, clouding her mind and rendering her helpless to resist.

Helpless?

Part of her mind cleared at the notion, giving her enough willpower to react.

She jerked back, away from him, and stumbled a few steps back, a little horrified that she had given in. Again! And now, Itsuki was staring at her with an expression more intense than she had ever seen him wear. As for her, she could still feel the tingling of her lips and the dampness, and the taste of _him_.

Calm down, Sakura. She needed to find out what _this_ was before she went any further.

"Don't do that," she forced out shakily, managing to find her voice at last.

"Why not?"

She ground her teeth together, trying to force her limbs to stop trembling and her mind to start functioning. "Because you keep coming at me without giving me a chance to _think!_"

There was an amused glint in his eyes when he responded in a quiet, calm voice, "I prefer it that way."

Her lips parted soundlessly, once again, astounded by his frankness. "W-What?"

"Would you be more accepting if I gained your verbal consent beforehand?" he asked, head tilted slightly to one side.

His _teasing_ tone snapped her out of her stupendous state. "Are…" She almost choked in outrage. "Are you _mocking_ me?" she finally snarled. "Because if you are-"

"Sakura. Perhaps my actions are not very clear. I merely wish to understand how you want me to proceed," he interjected smoothly, seemingly unaffected by her growing agitation.

She exhaled loudly, turning away to stare at the cave wall as she digested his words. The Sand sibling's various advices came back to her, presenting her with tempting options. Options that required her to take risks with her emotions. Options that might change so many things that she could not even begin to wrap her mind around it.

What should she do?

Should she simply take the plunge and see where it took her? The last time she had given her heart to someone, he had pretty much ignored her offering. But this was different, right? For one, Itsuki was hardly ignoring her in the first place. And secondly, she was not really giving her heart. It was all too soon for that. All she would be doing would be to test the waters, so to speak. And if it did not work out, she'd have time to back away, right? She knew better than to give herself to someone so wholeheartedly this time round, surely.

"Sakura?"

Slowly, she turned to face him. He seemed to be so calm, standing there, waiting for her decision. It was as if he was open to anything she might propose. She was almost jealous of his composure.

Maybe she should adopt his attitude.

Maybe she should not worry so much, or over-think things.

Taking a deep breath, her voice not as steady as she wished it to be, she gave him her decision.

"I want you… to kiss me."

He was surprised, pleasantly so by the flash of emotion in his eyes which elicited a tingle of hope within her. Then the corners of his lips lifted in a small smile and he took a step forward to close the distance between them.

Her breath hitched when he murmured heatedly against her lips, "That'd be my pleasure, Sakura."

000

* * *

000

A/N: Okay, that's it for now. Please leave a comment if you could – you cannot believe just how encouraging your words can be. Reviews feed the muse, I read somewhere.

:elle6778:


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing the previous chapter. This chapter ran away with itself, so there you go… a long one. Make yourself comfortable!

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 10**

"You don't need to accompany me back to Yugakure, Itsuki."

Itachi regarded her silently, but Sakura was not looking at him. There was a flush to her cheeks and she seemed to be finding it difficult to meet his eyes. He suffered no such reservations, and was content to study her, his eyes moving from her darting eyes, to her kiss-swollen lips down to her white-knuckled grip on her pack.

She was clearly affected by their encounter.

As for him, he had found it… pleasing.

They had spent a considerable time in a physical embrace, and he had no complaints, even though he had a feeling that he was not accustomed to such indulgences in the past. In fact, he had been more than willing to continue what they had been doing.

However, Sakura had pulled away, claiming that she had to return to Yugakure. And since then, she had been unable to make direct eye contact with him. Her actions suggested she was, once again, attempting to flee, the way she had done after the festival, despite the fact that she had all but asked him for the kiss.

This time, he had no intention of allowing her to do so. This time, he did not wish to leave anything unresolved before they parted company.

Hence his offer to accompany her back to Yugakure.

At his continued silence, she flicked an uncertain glance at him before insisting, "I can get back without an escort."

"One could suppose that you do not wish for my company," he pointed out flatly.

Her lips parted in surprise, and she stumbled back a couple of steps. "W-What? Well… No… It's not…" she trailed off, her brows furrowing in what appeared to be confusion.

Itachi smiled inwardly at the endearing picture she presented. It was surprisingly easy to unsettle her, particularly when it involved this personal issue between them. "Perhaps you're already regretting our encounter?" he pressed mildly.

Her lips parted again and then closed as she blinked incredulously at him. "W-What are you talking about?" she choked out, clearly flustered. "I… I _asked_ you to, remember?"

The verbal admission brought forth a surge of pleasure, for reasons he could not quite understand. He took a step towards her, bringing them so close that he could almost feel the warmth radiating from her body. As he watched, her flush deepened and her eyes widened.

"Yes, you did," he agreed softly, his appreciation clearly evident in his tone.

Silence descended upon them then. She bit her lip, drawing his eyes to her reddened flesh.

The urge to pull her into his arms arose, and Itachi only took a moment to consider the notion before he reached for her. Considering her agitation, he was pleasantly surprised when she tilted her head up to meet him halfway.

Their kiss was softer this time, more tentative and subdued, but its effect was not any milder on him. The heady sensation was still present, only dissipating when they pulled away from each other, their breaths equally uneven. It occurred to him then that he could easily be addicted to the sensation.

"I'd better go now," she murmured breathlessly.

"You don't have to."

She blinked once, and then a flash of darkness crossed her features, as if she was recalling something unpleasant. And then she gave him a pained smile. "I have to. There's something I need to do back in Yugakure."

He inclined his head. "Come, then."

Her eyes widened slightly. "I mean it. You don't need to walk me back. It's going to take you another half a day at least to get back here."

Her concern was touching, but a day or so of travel would not faze him. Without giving her a verbal response, he pressed his hand against the small of her back, pushing her in the direction of Yugakure. Her body stiffened momentarily, as if she was unused to the contact, and it took a while for her to relax. Only then did she begin to take steps forward, and he fell into rhythm beside her.

For a long while, they travelled in a comfortable silence. There was no sound around them aside from the rustle of damp leaves underfoot. Itachi allowed his eyes to wander as they travelled. The weather was turning wetter as spring arrived, and the trees were beginning to sprout fresh green leaves, a nice change from the frigid, dark winter.

"Aren't they going to miss you?"

Her sudden question made him turn to look at her, an eyebrow raised. "Who?"

"The villagers. You're supposed to watch over what I'm doing in the cave, right? That usually doesn't take more than a day or two." Her eyes remained fixed on the ground as she continued to walk. "So, will they not get worried when you don't return to the village?"

His lips twitched. Only Sakura would be concerned about something as minor as that. "Doubtful," he replied. "I'm able to take care of myself.

"Oh… Okay."

Another bout of silence descended upon them, but this time, it was thick with unspoken questions. The realization put him on edge and he slanted a questioning look at her, even though she was still studying her own footsteps. The deep furrow between her brows urged him to press her for an explanation.

"What is bothering you, Sakura?" he asked directly.

Her eyes shot up, the emerald orbs flashing in surprise. "What?"

"Something is on your mind, is it not?" he asked mildly. "Do you wish to speak of it?"

She appeared to be struggling with something, from the way the light in her eyes was flickering uncertainly. Impatiently, Itachi pulled to a stop, reaching out for her arm to halt her movements as well. They would resolve this now, for he had no intention of travelling for the next few hours in an uncomfortable silence.

"Tell me," he instructed, holding her worried gaze.

Sakura expelled a long, resigned breath, sending her pink hair fluttering upwards as she did so. "Now what?"

He raised a questioning brow at her, uncertain of what she was asking.

She gestured at him, and then back at herself. "What are we, Itsuki?"

Ah, so that was what the problem was. She was uncertain of how their relationship had shifted. He ran his eyes over her features, and instantly knew that she needed some reassurance. But he knew that in truth, he had no answer for her. The situation was not one he had encountered before.

"Is there a need to define it in words?" he returned instead.

Pursing her lips, she stared at him assessingly before saying, with a resigned huff, "I guess you're right. We can just… see where this goes."

"Indeed."

"I just… don't want to misunderstand, you know?" she said rather haltingly, eyes once again downcast.

He reached out to tilt her chin up until they made eye-contact again. "You worry too much, Sakura."

She gave him a baleful look.

Smirking slightly, he went on in an attempt to put her at ease, "I find your company pleasing, and I only wish to maintain it."

Her brows furrowed again. "Maintain?"

Itachi chided himself inwardly. He had just made it sound as if he did not wish to move on further with their relationship. Amending his words quickly, he clarified, "No, not maintain. I wish to _improve_ on the… personal aspect."

She blinked slowly at him, making him wonder if he had made yet another error in his choice of words. He doubted that he was particularly well-versed at such things even in his previous, unknown life. Personal interactions did not seem to be something he was comfortable with, even now, which made it even more surprising that he wanted to be close to this pink-haired kunoichi.

And then Sakura beamed mischievously, and her entire countenance making a complete turnabout. She all but glowed as she drawled, "Why, that's probably the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to me."

Somehow, Itachi had a feeling that he was being teased. Uncertain of the appropriate way to respond to such a thing, he promptly changed the topic. "Now that we've resolved your anxiety, perhaps you'd like to continue travelling?"

A chuckle left her as he turned to walk in the direction of Yugakure. But before he could take more than a few steps, he felt her arm sliding through his, before she affixed the side of her body to his. Her unexpectedly affectionate gesture made him glance down at her to find her still smiling widely.

Arms linked, they made their way across the forest. The journey was once again made mostly in silence, but it was not an uncomfortable one. Both of them seemed content enough that they were in each other's presence.

All too soon, the gates of Yugakure loomed before them, much to Itachi's dissatisfaction. They would part company soon, and the notion that he would have to wait for another week to pass before he could see her did not sit well with him.

So, when they stopped just at the edge of the forest, he asked, "What is your work schedule next week?"

She looked at him, seemingly surprised. And then her expression cleared when she comprehended the reason for his question. Then she smiled, a wide stretch of her lips which brightened her face, an expression which seemed to draw him increasingly closer to her. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to capture this brightness that was _Sakura_.

"Well, I have Saturdays off, usually," she told him, almost shyly.

He inclined his head. Today was Wednesday. "Meet me outside Yugakure's gates at noon this Saturday."

She seemed surprised. And then, slowly, she nodded.

"We will go for lunch."

"Okay," she responded with a small smile.

And then, of her own volition, she raised herself up on tiptoes, and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. He had to resist the urge to run his tongue over them as she lowered herself, and took a step backwards from him. Her cheeks were flushed pink when she finally spun around and sprinted towards the gates of Yugakure.

Leaving Itachi to smile at her departing figure.

000

* * *

000

Pushing a strand of messy pink hair behind her ear, Sakura scowled at her reflection in the window of her laboratory. When she turned around to see the Shinjutama samples lined up on the scrolls, her scowl deepened further.

She had made only a pitiful amount of progress ever since the commencement of the test this morning. It had been difficult for her to focus. And as much as she would like to blame someone else for her distraction, she knew that it was not fair to do so. After all, it was not as if Itsuki had forced her to think about him.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she ran her fingers through her pink locks, messing them up even further. Things had gone so well between her and Itsuki that she wondered if the whole thing was a dream. The kiss they had shared yesterday was so heated, so passionate that it completely struck everything else out of her mind. She had lost herself in it; lost herself in him.

And just as she had decided to take things as it came, assuming what Itsuki wanted was just a casual relationship considering his reluctance to define what they were embarking upon, he had dropped the bombshell.

A date.

He had asked her on a date. Not in so many words, but his meaning was clear.

Her lips curved into a smile as her scowl disappeared. This was by no means her first date, but it was a first one with a civilian. She did not recall feeling so giddy about her other dates though, and this made her feel foolish and immature. Still, something told her that this would be different, that Itsuki would be different from her other dates, and it was not just because he was a civilian.

It was Thursday today, so she had a couple more days to go through before the event. In the meantime, she should really stop thinking about it. She had work to do here.

Focus, Sakura. Focus.

Steeling herself, she crossed the span of the laboratory, stopping only when she reached the cabinet at the end of the space. There, she unlocked the door to retrieve a vial of her blood which she had stored yesterday. The old blood versus fresh blood test made it necessary for her to extract more blood today, she thought with a grimace.

With the vial held carefully in her hand, Sakura went to the long table in the middle of the room and began to set out the necessary equipments, placing fragments of the Shinjutama she had collected yesterday on the detection scrolls that had been inked with black seals. It would tell her the characteristics of the fragments soon enough.

With the aid of a kunai, she quickly acquired a vial of fresh blood. Methodically, she placed droplets of blood from both vials on the Shinjutama fragments, until she was satisfied that she had enough to get a good read of the gemstone's behavior.

Part of her did not want to know, if she was honest with herself. The fact that the gemstones seemed to increase in strength merely from the blood of any living being suggested a dark background to it. But she _needed_ to know. The academic side of her needed to know.

She performed the necessary seals almost automatically, and watched as the seals inked on the scrolls reacted to the jutsu. Her chakra fed into it, and it flared brightly as she took in the results, grimacing as she did so.

It was not as if she did not expect it, but to have it confirmed in such a manner was not really pleasant. The Shinjutama behaved differently under the influence of her blood. Instead of absorbing the red fluid, the small spot of blood remained intact, pooling around the shiny gemstone. So, it suggested that those with Shinju blood was unaffected adversely by the Shinjutama.

Which made sense, she supposed. After all, she could get through the barrier of the Shinjutama, enough to harvest it. The village's head-sized Shinjutama came to mind then, and she wondered if she could breach the village barrier as well.

Suddenly, the scrolls flared brighter.

Sakura's eyes immediately widened at the unexpected change. Greatly perplexed now, she assessed the results once again, only to find that the Shinjutama's strength was increasing at a rate she had not seen before in the previous tests. But this time, the gemstone was not absorbing the blood. It was doing something else, she noted intently. Threads of greenish-blue strands of what she guessed were chakra was sucked off her scroll, where she had infused her chakra earlier. As she watched, the threads of chakra swirled up into the tiny puddle of her blood before the Shinjutama absorbed it hungrily.

Her chakra.

The Shinjutama _ate_ her chakra.

The Shinjutama fragments were now glowing brighter than before. She grimaced at the realization that they had grown much stronger on her chakra alone, instead of her blood. What did this mean? That if given the chance, the Shinjutama would suck her chakra dry? It did not make sense, because if that was the case, how was she able to harvest the gemstones so far without any detrimental effect on herself?

Perhaps…

Her eyes went to the blood the gemstone fragment was lying in as she speculated. Perhaps her blood acted like a conductor. After all, the Shinjutama reacted to the blood of others, so it made sense that it would react with her blood as well. Just in a different manner. Instead of gaining strength from blood, it absorbed chakra from Shinju blood instead.

So, if she was to embed the Shinjutama inside her body, it would… store her chakra?

Expelling a hiss of frustration, she watched the sample with narrowed eyes, waiting for it to do something else. It annoyed her that she could only speculate. There was no way to confirm what the Shinjutama was doing with her chakra. At least, not without risking herself.

A series of taps sounded on the door to her laboratory, making her start.

"Haruno-san?"

Tamping down her irritation at the interruption, she called out, "Yes?"

"There is a… uh…" The person at the other side of the door paused, almost as if he was embarrassed.

"What is it?" Sakura prompted, trying not to sound impatient.

"There is a… _rabbit_ here to see you."

Sakura blinked once, and then twice.

Rabbit?

And then her eyes widened in realization. It must be an animal summon, sort of like Tsunade's slugs and Jiraiya and Naruto's toads. But rabbit? Whose summon was a rabbit? She had no clue.

"Come in," she invited curiously. "The door is not locked."

The door creaked open, and in hopped a fluffy white and grey rabbit. Sakura had to bite back the urge to coo at the sight of the adorable creature, with its cute rounded cheeks and twitching whiskers. Behind the rabbit stood a Yugakure genin, who still looked rather bewildered by the sight of the rabbit. Especially when the creature rose up to its hind legs and opened its mouth.

"I have a message for Haruno Sakura." The rabbit eyed her carefully with its dark eyes. "You fit the description."

She nodded, biting back a smile. Then, realizing that the message might be confidential, she turned her attention to the Yugakure genin. "You can leave now."

The boy practically jumped. "Huh? Oh… okay."

And then he backed away from the laboratory, shutting the door behind him. When Sakura turned her eyes back to the rabbit, the creature had jumped up onto the nearest table. Thankfully, it was not the one with her samples.

"Who sent you?" she asked.

"My master," he replied.

Sakura raised a brow. "And who is that?"

"It's not important. He's affiliated with the ink user."

Ink user? Sakura frowned, running through the faces in her mind. The only one she knew who used ink was Sai. "Sai?" she ventured tentatively.

The rabbit nodded solemnly. "Yes. Sai. Dark hair. Dark eyes."

The first thought that came to her mind was that Sai did not have that many friends, as far as she knew. Apart from Kakashi, Naruto, Yamato and herself, she did not think that he even knew the rest of her usual group of friends. Unless, this particular friend of his was a Root operative.

She tensed, instantly suspicious.

The rabbit no longer seemed so cute.

"What's the message?" she asked carefully.

The rabbit twitched, and then, to her amazement, hacked up something which looked like a black pellet. "Take it."

Sakura eyed the pellet with no small amount of misgiving.

"Release the jutsu and you will see the message. I need to leave now," the rabbit said, and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sakura stared for a few moments at the dissipating cloud of smoke, and then placed the pellet down on the table, and then performed the usual seals to reveal hidden objects. Almost immediately, chakra crackled around the pallet, and then it burst into its true form.

A sheet of paper.

She peered at the words, and a soft smile gradually curved her lips.

It was from Sai. There was certainly no mistaking his 'tone'.

'_Hag. I have come across news that you might find interesting. You no longer need to look for him. He's looking for you.'_

Sakura blinked at the words, barely understanding what it said. Him? Who was Sai referring to? Someone she had been looking for. Someone male, so not Tsunade or Shizune. So…

A gasp escaped her lips.

Sasuke. Sai was talking about Sasuke. And Sasuke was looking for her?

Why?

000

* * *

000

Saturday saw Itachi standing by the gates of Yugakure, waiting patiently for Sakura to emerge from the village compound. He was a little early, but then again, he always had the propensity to do so. The feeling of being_ late_ did not suit him.

However, he wished that he had not been early this time, for he could hardly avoid the curious looks directed at him from the two guards at the gates. Still, he could ignore them.

"So, you're Haruno-san's boyfriend, huh?" a brown-haired shinobi in his late teens asked.

Itachi simply nodded, quickly running his eyes over the one who had spoken, noting that he was most likely a chuunin like his partner, a blue-haired nin. He sensed no ill-intent from them, and decided that they were just curious.

"But you're a civilian, right?" the blue-haired one asked this time.

"Yes," Itachi replied blandly.

The brown-haired chuunin made a face, leaning against the closed gates behind him. "You're so lucky. You have no idea how many of us wants to-"

His words were cut short by his partner's elbows. "Shut up."

A sheepish look crossed his face. "Sorry."

The notion that there were men eyeing Sakura in Yugakure did not sit well with Itachi, even though it was to be expected. She was an attractive, intelligent kunoichi, after all, despite the occasional wariness and aggressiveness, which he now recognized as her kunoichi façade. Perhaps that façade of hers had kept suitors away so far. But if he could see through it to the softer heart of hers, then others could too, could they not? The notion left a distasteful taste on his tongue.

Fortunately, before the unpleasant thoughts continued, Itachi sensed her approach.

A moment later, the gates swung open slowly, courtesy of two other guards on the other side. The brown-haired chuunin leapt out of the way before the swinging gate pushed him over, and stood some distance away with his partner to watch the gate open completely.

Itachi watched with amusement when Sakura stumbled out of the open gates, laughing sheepishly at her own clumsiness as she tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were tinted with a heightened color as she walked towards him, a smile on her lips. He noted that like him, she had forgone her usual attire. She was now clad in a long-sleeved forest-green dress and a pair of sensible civilian footwear. It made her look more feminine, softer, he noted with appreciation. And even more beautiful.

"Hi," she greeted almost shyly. "Sorry I'm late."

"It was only six minutes," he pointed out mildly, refraining from smiling.

Her lips parted and her eyes rounded. "You were counting?" she asked, aghast.

His smile broke free of its retrain, and he reached out to rest his hand at the back of her waist. "Come."

"Have fun, Haruno-san!" the chuunin yelled in unison as they walked away, causing Sakura to blush.

"Honestly," she muttered. "You'd think that they have nothing else better to do."

"You know them well?" he asked curiously as they walked towards the forest, his hand falling to his side.

"Umm…" she paused, as if wondering what she should say. Eventually, she replied, "I don't know them that well. We're not exactly friends outside of our profession."

"Aa," he murmured in comprehension. "Acquaintances, then."

"That's right."

She sounded a little hesitant, almost as if she was not too certain of that either. How odd.

"You have lived in Yugakure for more than a year," he pointed out. "I had assumed that you knew them well."

She shook her head, and let out a humorless chuckle. "The circumstances don't really permit such a thing."

Sensing that she was not fully comfortable with the topic of conversation, he decided not to press her for further details. Besides, he did not wish to begin their day out with Sakura feeling bothered. He intended for her to take pleasure out of this day, and it was not something he wished to compromise.

Very much like the trip they had taken several days ago, they walked in silence, simply enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of the forest. His hand felt emptier than before, and it did not take him long to realize why. Seeking to remedy the problem, he promptly reached out to entwine his fingers lightly around hers. Much to his pleasure, she reciprocated by tightening her grip.

"Where are we going?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"It is about an hour's walk away," he told her, darted a glance at her to find her nodding at him. "I trust you'd be hungry by the time we arrive."

"You bet!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. "It's not everyday that I get a free meal."

The corner of his lips twitched. "You assumed I would pay?"

She pulled to a stop, forcing him to halt along with her. The look she gave him was a mix of delight and mock affront. "What kind of date makes the woman pay?" she groused, releasing his hand to cross her arms over her chest. Her emerald orbs were twinkling as she glared at him.

Smirking inwardly, he tilted his head slightly to one side, regarding her intently. "And why should the man pay?" he asked mildly.

She blinked, as if she had never truly considered the question before. The bewildered look on her face was enough to draw a soft chuckle from him. "Well…"

"Come on, Sakura," he urged before she could come up with some excuse, taking her hand once again. "Or we will be late."

A loud huff left her, but she followed him readily.

000

* * *

000

Itsuki had said that it would take them an hour to arrive.

In actuality, it had taken them a little more than that, but she found herself unable to complain when she stepped into a bamboo-enclosed compound. From the outside, she did not know what to expect, but now that she had stepped beyond the tall boundary walls, she could do nothing but dart her widened eyes from one thing to another.

The bamboo enclosed a large area dotted with many little hot springs, each surrounded by smooth rocks, and scattered around these were polished round stone tables with stone seats. Although it was not strictly needed, beautiful handcrafted bamboo lanterns decorated the center of each table. The hot springs and seating areas were linked by many white and grey pebbled footpaths. She could even see a couple of tiny bridges arching over the narrower hot springs.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, awed by the sight.

Itsuki tugged lightly at her hand, drawing her attention away from the outdoor seating area to the main bamboo structure further down the pebbled path. She shot a glance at him to find him looking at her with an expression which could only be described as affectionate.

She swallowed hard.

He broke their gaze abruptly, as if he had realized what he had inadvertently revealed. His expression was bland again when inclined his head at the single-storey bamboo structure. "We will be dining there."

She allowed him to lead her to the structure, her eyes darting in all directions, pleased by what she was seeing. The place was seriously beautiful, and she did not understand why no one had mentioned it to her so far.

Soon, she found herself stepping up wooden steps and into the building. A lady dressed in a traditional kimono directed them to a window area, where a table was set with two place settings. A warm hand, Itsuki's hand, applied a pressure at the back of her waist, urging her in that direction.

Once there, she sat down on the comfortable cushion, and stared out at the breathtaking landscape surrounding the building. The curls of steam rising from the hotsprings made the entire place look surreal and dreamlike, and she sighed in contentment.

"I didn't even know this place existed," she murmured, not taking her eyes away from the scenery.

"Perhaps you've been working too hard then."

A wry smile curved her lips as she turned to face him. "Maybe." She swept her gaze over the area again, feeling like she simply could not get enough of it. "How did you find this place, anyway?"

"It had only been recently reopened."

"It was closed?" she asked, surprised that something like this had shut down.

A waitress, dressed in a traditional kimono, came by, interrupting them. Her smile was polite but Sakura could see the admiration in her eyes when her gaze landed on Itsuki. It annoyed her a little, but she supposed that was to be expected, considering her own attraction towards that man. Fortunately, the waitress was respectful enough to just take their orders, and then left them to their privacy.

Resuming their conversation, she asked, "You said this place was only recently reopened?"

"Yes." He poured tea for both of them before continuing, "The war made it dangerous for them to keep such a place open."

She almost winced when she realized which war he was talking about. "Sorry," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

He only flicked a curious look at her, sipping his tea and then placing the cup on the table soundlessly before he asked, "Why are you apologizing, Sakura?"

"The war. It was Konoha that brought the war here," she pointed out.

"Aa." He gave her a thoughtful look, and then continued, "I doubt you would have been able to stop it, so it is meaningless for you to apologize."

She sighed. "Maybe we should change the subject," she suggested, not wanting the topic to spoil her date.

"Very well, Sakura. What do you wish to speak about?"

Grinning at the opening he had given her, she asked, "So, tell me. When you're not stalking innocent foreign kunoichi, what do you like to do?"

"It is hardly stalking." He gave her an amused smirk. "I perform tasks for the village, as you know."

"Aside from that?" she asked, wanting to know more about him.

"I eat, rest-"

She cut him off with an impatient huff. "That's not what I mean. And you know it."

His smirk morphed into a genuine smile. "You know more than you think about me, Sakura."

"Such as."

"I like to read."

She blinked in realization. "Oh, yes." And then she chuckled softly. "Classical romance, right? You know, I still can't get over it."

"There is more to it than romance. Perhaps you should sample one and decide for yourself," he suggested, clearly unperturbed by her teasing.

"Maybe one day. I prefer mysteries actually."

"A spillover from your profession, perhaps?"

Realizing that he was making the comparison between solving medical and research problems and her liking for mysteries, she nodded in agreement. "Never thought of it like that, but I guess you're right. There is something really satisfying about it, you know." Tilting her head slightly in question, she asked, "Have you read any mysteries?"

He nodded. "I find them rather impersonal, although most of them provide a good sense of closure. In a way, that is rather unrealistic."

She rolled her eyes. "It's supposed to be entertaining, not realistic."

"Indeed."

The soft footsteps reached them, just as the waitress appeared with a tray of their food. Sakura leaned back from the table, belatedly realizing that both her and Itsuki had leaned towards each other over the table as they conversed.

"Here we go," the waitress murmured politely as she placed the delicate plates and bowls filled with delicious smelling food on the table, arranging them artfully. "Please enjoy your meal."

And with that, she took her leave.

Sakura's mouth watered as she eyed the tantalizing display before her.

"You may start."

Her eyes snapped up to find Itsuki smirking at her in amusement. Her lips twitched when she realized just how hungry she must have looked, eyeing the food like that. But somehow, she could not bring herself to feel self-conscious.

Reaching for the chopsticks, she beamed at him. "Itadakimasu!"

Itsuki inclined his head, murmured the same, and they both dug into their meals.

000

* * *

000

Their outing ended too soon, in Itachi's opinion, although it would be unreasonable for him to expect more since it was already close to midnight. After the extended, relaxed lunch, they had visited the town nearby where he had enjoyed Sakura's delight in the many stalls scattered in the marketplace. He had been surprised to find out that she had not explored the country that much, despite having lived in it for more than a year.

And now, standing at Sakura's front door, Itachi was unsurprised to find himself reluctant to leave her. He did not have to ask if she had been pleased by the outing, for her glowing expression and satiated smile was enough to inform him that she had not been disappointed. What amazed him most was the pleasure he felt at the knowledge that Sakura had been delighted.

"Thank you. I really had fun," she told him.

"You're welcomed."

Her eyes darted away from him to the inky dark sky, and then returned swiftly. "You're heading back to the village?"

His lips quirked when he noted the slight hesitation in her question. "I doubt it would be appropriate for me to stay overnight here."

A blush crept up visibly from her neck to her cheeks. "Ah…" she faltered, licking her lips, a move which sent a jolt of desire through him. "You could stay, I suppose."

He was surprised by her words, and it must have been obvious even without him saying anything, for she quickly added, "To sleep. Just to sleep."

Amused by her fluster, he decided to put her at ease. "No. It is best that I return to the village."

"Oh, okay."

She sounded relieved and disappointed at the same time. It was rather endearing.

Reaching out, he trailed a feather-light stroke from the side of her cheeks to her neck, watching as her eyes darkened with unmistakable desire. At the same time, the smile she now wore displayed a hint of shyness as she reached out to link her hands behind his neck. The shyness and boldness were oddly contradictory, but he found that the mix suited her.

She tilted her head up as he dipped lower, and their lips met halfway. The kiss was brief, but Itachi found himself trembling slightly as he worked to refrain from pushing her through the door to take their physical intimacy to another level. It was definitely too soon for such a progression, and instinctively he knew that it was not wise to rush this.

They pulled back at the same time, and Itachi was pleased to note that her cheeks were even redder now.

"Safe trip back," she murmured.

He inclined his head. "Sleep well. We will meet in a few days."

"Okay."

And with that, she turned to unlock her door, slipping through when it opened. She waved at him with a small smile on her lips, and then closed the door with a subtle click.

Only then did Itachi begin to walk away from her small house, heading towards the main gates of Yugakure. As always, while he was in the vicinity or within the compound, Itachi had to suppress his natural reflex to tread lightly on the ground. Instead, he made sure to walk heavily like a typical civilian, grinding the gravels under his boots loudly as he left the village. The shinobi there did not strike him as being skillful, but there was no reason to take the risk.

Once he had passed the treeline forming a border between Yugakure and the forest surrounding it, he allowed himself to walk more naturally. He was far enough that the Yugakure shinobi would not be able to tell the difference.

As Itachi made his way in the direction of his village, various thoughts ran through his mind.

First and foremost were the Yugakure journeys he had made and would make in the future now that he and Sakura were growing closer. He would be travelling there more frequently than was wise, considering that he had been attempting to avoid direct contact with shinobi in general so far. Clearly, this new development with Sakura was leading him to embark on potentially dangerous things. What was worse was the fact that he could not bring himself to stop it.

There was something about her that drew him in and made him overlook about the other major issue in his life, namely the retrieval of his memories. In fact, ever since the relationship had progressed, he rarely dwelled upon the need to regain his past. He supposed his avoidance could be attributed to the knowledge that so far, his flashes of memories had been predominantly unpleasant, which suggested that the same could be said about his past. So why dredge it up when he was… happy… as he was right now?

Still, Itachi knew himself well enough to be certain that eventually, he would need to know what had happened to him. Perhaps for now, that particular objective of his could take a back seat to the flourishing of his personal relationship. At the moment, he relished the notion of simply going where the flow took him, instead of worrying about the future or the past.

He had barely travelled any distance away from Yugakure when his senses alerted him that there was another presence some distance away, moving swiftly towards the shinobi village. Immediately, he stilled, his breathing slow and even as he expanded his senses further in the attempt to locate the anomaly.

When he did, his eyes narrowed at the prickling sensation that assaulted him. There was someone there, someone whose chakra was very familiar. Its owner's identity flirted at the edge of his subconscious, but Itachi was unable to grasp it, much to his annoyance.

Should he remain or should he leave?

If he was to remain to catch sight of this person, then the encounter might trigger more of his memories. However, he would run the risk of detection, for it was clear that this shinobi was not a minor one, judging from his dark, heavy chakra, evident even under concealment.

If he was to leave, then this would be an avenue of information that he discarded just like that. Was he willing to do so? His earlier thoughts came back to him, and in the light of this, Itachi realized that he would not be too disappointed at the loss of this opportunity. The day he had spent had been too pleasurable to have it darkened by his uncertain past.

In the end, Itachi simply cast one final look at the direction the chakra was coming from, mind made up. Deciding on the latter option, he continued to walk, subtly increasing the strength of his chakra mask as he did so and continued on his way, without another backward glance.

000

* * *

000

Having separated from Itsuki at her front door, Sakura sighed contentedly as she stepped into her house. She had to admit that Itsuki had exceeded her expectations, and that was a rarity in itself considering just how often she found herself disappointed with the small handful of dates she had experienced in Konoha and Suna.

She was still smiling distractedly as she crossed the living room towards her bedroom, intending to change out of the dress she had worn on the date. However, the approach of someone stilled her movements, and she turned in the direction of the door just as a series of knocks sounded.

"Haruno-san!"

She yanked open the door, to find herself face to face with a flushed chuunin. The young kunoichi had obviously been rushing to get here.

"Yes?"

"There's someone at the gate for you," she announced breathlessly.

Sakura frowned, wondering who could it be. "Itsuki?"

The younger girl shook her head, sending her red curls bouncing around her face. "No. Someone different. I don't recognize him."

Cautiously, she asked, "Did he say his name?"

"No. He just said that you'd want to see him."

It could not be ANBU Root then, Sakura speculated. Perhaps someone from Konoha was passing by? No wait, she doubted that since Suna, they knew where Danzou had posted her. The old bastard had been trying to make sure that she was segregated from the rest of Konoha, seeing that she was the missing Godaime's apprentice. He wouldn't want Konoha to be reminded of their dearest Godaime, after all now, would he?

"Haruno-san?"

Jolted out of her less-than-pleasant mental ranting, she turned her attention back to the waiting redheaded chuunin. "He's at the gate, you said?"

The chuunin nodded.

"Thank you for the message. I'll go now to see what he wants."

With a smile, the chuunin waved at her before sprinting off.

Sakura walked at a more sedate pace, but it did not take her long to reach the village's main gate. There, a couple of chuunin guards were joking raucously with each other, barely sparing her a glance as she walked out. It occurred to her then that perhaps Kobayashi, Yugakure's leader, should really increase the level of discipline in her shinobi ranks. One day, they could be attacked again, and once again, they would be unprepared.

Still, it was not her job to advice the foreign village's leader on how to run her shinobi village. She had enough of her own problems with Konoha.

Sakura's thoughts broke off once she was out of the gate. There was no one in the immediate vicinity, but she could see the outline of a man in the distance, at the edge of the forest, hidden in the darkness of the night. His chakra was masked, telling her that he was a shinobi.

Frowning, she deliberated if she should approach, and then decided that no one really had any reason to harm her. Besides, with her strength, she could easily defend herself, right? There were plenty of trees around for her to uproot and swing around, after all.

Mind made up, she made her way across the rocky ground between the village gates and the forest. The man eventually came into full view, and Sakura let her eyes roam over his figure before stopping a few steps away. He was facing away from her, half shielded by the flourishing trees and shrubs at the edge of the forest, was not familiar in any manner. There was a shock of blonde hair on top of his head and the rest of his body was covered in a jet black cloak, leaving only the back of his sandaled feet visible.

"Who are you?" she asked, not bothering to hide her cautious tone.

The man turned around slowly, his blue eyes darting in different directions behind her, obviously in a move to ascertain if she was alone. His suspicious behavior made her tense even further. As far as she knew, no one was out to get her, but one could never tell.

He gestured deeper into the forest. "Come."

His voice…

She frowned as recognition tingled, but her defenses shot high when his instruction sank in. Bristling, she snapped, "How stupid do you think I am, following a stranger into the forest in the middle of the night?"

There was a gleam of annoyance in his blue eyes, so blue that it reminded her of Naruto, before he spoke. "It is not secure out here."

Her lips thinned. She wanted to know who it was, but was it worth the risk? She took another moment to decide eventually that worse come to worse, she would simply bring the whole forest down with the two of them. A little over the top, perhaps, but it would definitely work.

But not before she had some insurance.

Inclining her head at the katana strapped to his back, Sakura demanded, "Give that to me."

He raised a brow, obviously surprised. "Why?"

"Something for me to play with, that why," she snapped irritably. "Just give it to me if you want me to follow you in there."

He deliberated for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, and then, with an oddly familiar irritated sigh, he detached the weapon from his back and tossed it at her. "Do not drop it," he cautioned.

She caught the katana and held it tight by her side, eyes not leaving the blonde haired, blue-eyed man. No sane ninja would toss his weapon at a stranger, which meant that this man either was confident that he did not need his weapon to subdue her, or he truly meant her no harm. If it was the former, then she doubted that anything she could do right now would stop him anyway.

With a huff, she jerked her head at the forest. "Let's go."

He nodded curtly, a motion which, again, seemed eerily familiar. She was beginning to think that he was someone she knew, just under a disguise jutsu. So who could it be? Someone from Konoha, no doubt, she thought as she walked into the forest with him, ignoring the wet leaves squelching into the mud under her feet.

The moment the man deemed that they were far enough from Yugakure to be safe, he turned to her.

And then his henge dropped, exposing his real identity.

Sakura could only stare in shock.

"S-Sasuke?"

The man before her inclined his head in that familiar, brief jerk, before returning, "Sakura."

She was at a loss for words, as stunned as she was to see him there. "What… What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you."

They studied each other silently, and it did not escape her notice that he lingered over her dress longer than necessary. Well, she did not have to explain anything to him, let alone something so personal like a date. She had to admit that he did not look too bad, despite the tired look in his eyes and the overall slenderness which seemed to afflict missing nins in general. He was dressed in a grey mesh top and dark pants, both mostly covered under a pitch black cloak.

She raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. This was surreal, she decided. She and Naruto had spent so many years looking for Sasuke that for him to turn up like this was almost unbelievable. But she just about managed to keep calm enough to voice the most important question on her mind.

"Why?"

Only then did she see the first hint of emotion on his features. Sasuke was uneasy with what he was about to say, and it showed in the way his dark eyes flickered.

"You once said you'll do anything for me?" he asked, sounding uncomfortable.

She gaped when she recalled the night she had said those words, and instantly flushed in embarrassment. She was so naïve back then, and the last thing she wanted was to be reminded of it. Her voice was tight when she replied, "Well, that was more than six years ago, Sasuke."

His eyes snapped up to hers, as if puzzled. By what, she had no idea. But it did not take him long to recover the blank mask he always wore. "I need a medic."

"A medic," she echoed.

"I heard you are the best, next to Tsunade."

Realization dawned, and Sakura found herself fighting to keep calm instead of lashing out in anger. Oh, so, he wanted her for her skills. So many years of separation and he did not even bother to ask how she was. He simply went straight to the point, and asked for her help. Who did the bastard think he was? He could not just abandon them and then come running back when he needed a medic.

She should just punch him in the face and leave him here for the wildlife.

The silence between them was thick as she stared at him, while he seemed to be studying some indistinct spot on a tree trunk unmovingly.

And then her anger deflated when she noted just how tense Sasuke was. This was not easy for him at all, she thought, watching him work the muscles of his jaw. Her medic side kicked in soon afterwards, and she ran her eyes down his body. She could not discern any visible wounds but that did not mean that there was none.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, gentling her tone.

"In a manner of speaking," he muttered.

Concern for him flared up, and she stepped closer until they were about an arm's length apart. That close, she could see the lines of strain around his eyes and lips. Whatever he had was clearly troubling him.

"Tell me," she coaxed.

"My chakra. Something is affecting it."

Frowning slightly at the oddness of it, Sakura wondered how he managed to sustain something which affected such a basic thing. Holding out her hands, now glowing green with chakra, she asked, "I'll have to scan you."

A curt nod was the only response she received.

Knowing that she needed both hands available, she handed him his katana, "Here."

He simply nodded as he took it from her.

Taking a deep breath, and realizing that this would be the first time she touched Sasuke with his consent after so many years, she pressed against him. He stiffened immediately but displayed no further reaction as the scan progressed. She kept her touch light, barely skimming the surface of his full, length black cloak, frowning as she continued to probe his system. His chakra seemed to be fine, on its own, but there was a foreign presence in his body which seemed to be disrupting it.

After a while, she drew back, giving him a questioning look. "Well, you have some foreign chakra inside your body."

He did not seem surprised by her words. "Can you fix it?" he asked instead.

"Tell me how you got it."

"An opponent gave it to me," he replied shortly, eyes not meeting hers.

Her lips thinned. "I suggest that you cooperate if you want me to heal you, Sasuke."

His eyes shot up, surprise clearly written on his dark orbs. What? He had not expected her to challenge or question him? Did he not notice that she was not quite the same twelve-year-old Sakura anymore?

A light breeze swept by, and she pushed her hair behind her ear as she continued to stare uncompromisingly at him. "Who gave it to you, Sasuke?"

Annoyance flashed across his features, wiping away his surprise. "A Kumo nin," he finally admitted in a grudging tone.

A Kumo nin, huh? It was not something she had encountered before, but that was not surprising. She guessed missing-nins like Sasuke did encounter much more hostile forces that she had ever done.

"Be more careful the next time." She took a moment to consider her next steps. "I'll have to disperse the foreign chakra, so it will feel a little uncomfortable, okay."

He nodded once.

"Now sit down. It will take a while," she told him as she dropped to her knees.

After a moment of hesitation, Sasuke followed suit, and lowered himself to his knees, facing her. Without further ado, she placed her hands on his chest and set to work on him, her focus fixed on threading her chakra into his system to locate and release the trapped foreign chakra. Sasuke said nothing while she treated him, but she was fully aware of the pressure of his gaze. He seemed to be watching her rather intently, and she had to admit that it felt rather unnerving.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, she bit out, "Do you mind stopping that?"

She felt him tense under her palms, which were still pressed against his chest. After a moment, he rumbled his agreement, and she felt the pressure ease, telling her that he had removed his gaze from her. Exhaling loudly, she refocused her attention on extracting the foreign chakra. It would not take much longer, she deduced, when the intensity of the foreign chakra became less prominent.

"You have been a medic for long?" he asked suddenly.

Surprised at the question, she darted a look at Sasuke to find that he was staring in the distance, somewhat thoughtfully. "I began training since you left," she informed him.

"Hn."

She smiled slightly at the familiar sound.

After a while, she ran her glowing palms over him once again. Detecting no foreign chakra, she announced with satisfaction, "All done. You're as good as new."

She straightened to her feet, stretching to iron out the kinks in her body from staying stationary for so many hours. The sensation of her joints popping felt so good that she could almost groan out loud. A yawn escaped her then, reminding her that hours had passed since midnight and she had not had any sleep.

"I'm sorry."

Startled, she blinked at him mid-stretch. "What?"

"For leaving you on the bench."

Her jaws clamped tight at those words and she looked away, arms dropping to her side. It had been so long ago that it should not hurt, but damn it, every time she thought of that day, she wanted to tear up. So she said nothing in response to him.

"And thank you. Again."

His voice was quiet, almost too quiet, and she knew with certainty that he would leave her again. Her eyes snapped up, just in time to see him take one step back away from her.

"Sasuke, wait."

And then he was gone in a cloud of smoke. Gone before she could ask him if he would return to Konoha with her once things went back to normal. When Tsunade was once again in control of the village.

For a while, she only stared at the space Sasuke had been standing in just a minute ago, and then she released a heavy sigh. The last thing she had expected was to encounter Sasuke here, of all places, let alone having him actively searching her out. She really did not know what to think of this, but there were many questions on her mind.

Would Sasuke seek her out again? And if he did, should she persuade him to join them in a coup to take Konoha back from Danzou? Would Sasuke even agree if she asked? Was he still loyal to Konoha in the first place?

Sakura frowned at the last question. No, Sasuke was not really a traitor, so she guessed there was a change that he would agree, now that his revenge was complete. Her frown cleared, to be replaced by a small smile when she realized how idiotic her thoughts were.

Yeah, of course Sasuke would help them. They could be Team 7 all over again.

Right?

000

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000

A/N: We are two-thirds through this story, and I'm seriously considering finishing off this fic before updating the next chapter of The Return of the Heir. I'd like your opinion, though, so please let me know, okay? Thanks!

:elle6778:


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. Looks as if most of you prefer this one finished first, so I guess I'll do that. :P

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 11**

Time went by swiftly, and before Itachi knew it, two months had passed since the nature of their relationship had shifted. It was odd how fast everything had fallen into place once both of them had accepted the situation. Some might even see it as being fated. They fitted together well, and he could not help but wonder why he had not done something about it sooner.

And now, he was seated on the narrow couch in her house in Yugakure. This was one of the many times he had set foot in the shinobi village, the first being the day he had set eyes on Sakura for the first time. He felt somewhat more tense within the village than he was outside, and he knew that he would always be concerned that someone might recognize him for what he was even though suppressing his chakra was second nature by now.

Sipping his beverage slowly, he watched Sakura interact with her guests. She was leaning against the wall across the living room, conversing with one of the medics which he vaguely recognized. It was her eighteenth birthday today and she had decided to have a small gathering to celebrate the occasion. There were only about ten or so guests, though the small space made it seem like many more.

A young kunoichi sat down beside him, uninvited, and Itachi slid a questioning glance at her. When she smiled coquettishly at him, he averted his gaze. Perhaps this kunoichi did not know of his relationship to Sakura. After all, it was a relatively recent development.

"I'm Kinuko. So, are you new in Yugakure?" she asked.

"Hm," he responded disinterestedly, not wishing to encourage her.

"Are you like Sakura-san? A Leaf nin?"

He raised his cup to his lips, sipping his drink slowly before he turned to her. At his direct attention, the girl blushed slightly, but she did not back away. She was clearly brazen, despite her age. The girl could not be more than sixteen.

"Why do you wish to know?"

"You're new. And new people are… interesting," she told him, her voice turning a little suggestive. "And I'd like to get to know you better."

He ran his eyes slowly over her, with the intention of making her uncomfortable. She squirmed slightly, telling him that he was succeeding. But before he could fully run her off, he sensed Sakura's familiar presence closing in on them. And when she stopped right there in front of him and the brazen kunoichi, he looked up with amusement.

The hostile aura emanating from her was unmistakable, despite the thin smile she wore as she raised a brow at the kunoichi.

"Having a good time, Kinuko?" she asked silkily.

Kinuko laughed, a nervous sound. "Yes. I suppose," she replied as she shifted slightly away from him.

"I see that Itsuki is keeping you entertained," Sakura went on, and then turned to him. "Thank you, _Koi."_

The unexpected endearment made him smile slightly. Point driven home, Kinuko blushed and quickly stood up.

"Um… Thank you for letting me tag along with Yoshi, Sakura-san. But I think I'd better go. Early shift tomorrow morning."

"Best that you rest then, hm?" Sakura returned.

Kinuko nodded quickly. "Well, happy birthday, Sakura-san."

The kunoichi left rather quickly, leaving Sakura to take her place on the couch. The pink-haired kunoichi grinned at him knowingly, shaking her head slightly.

"That's the Head of the Medical Department's niece. Do I need to guess what she wanted from you?"

"I do not know, Sakura."

She arched a brow. "Oh? I thought you were conversing quite nicely there with her."

She might be acting affronted, but he knew that she was simply jesting. Circling an arm around her, he pulled her closer to whisper in her ear, "You were not pleased that I kept your guest entertained?"

She snorted. "You know exactly why Kinuko was all over you."

"Tell me," he murmured into her ear, reveling in the way she shivered in his arms.

She drew back, her emeralds orbs flashing with a mix of exasperation and humor. "You're being deliberately dense now."

Taken aback slightly, he admitted, "I believe that is the first time I've been described as such."

Before she could answer, her attention was drawn away by another Yugakure shinobi, this time to inform her that he and his partner were leaving. Itachi remained on the couch as the pink-haired kunoichi stood up again to escort her guests to the door. Perhaps it was simply the late hour, but once the first couple had left, the rest soon followed.

Itachi was nothing but relieved when the house emptied of all occupants aside from him and Sakura. He did not like being in the midst of so many people. It was often too noisy and made him feel rather oppressed.

"Well, that wasn't too bad, was it?" she teased as she sat down next to him again.

Knowing exactly what she was referring to, he responded, "I merely do not like crowds."

She snorted. "That was hardly a crowd. If I had this back in Konoha…" she trailed off suddenly, her eyes suddenly taking on a wistful look.

"You will celebrate your future birthdays there." Perhaps, he added silently, not wishing to upset her.

A chuckle escaped her lips as she buried her face in the junction between his neck and shoulder. Her affectionate gesture drew a smile to his lips, and Itachi absently began to run his palm up and down her back. It was soothing for him, as well as for her. In fact, any form of touching involving Sakura was pleasant.

After a while, she mumbled, her words vibrating softly against his skin. "Keep doing that and I'll fall asleep."

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked, the languidness of the atmosphere making him sleepy as well.

"Depends…"

Her tone sounded darker, sultrier, and any ideas of sleeping immediately flew out of Itachi's mind when he realized what she could mean by her words. It was something that they had never discussed, not for the lack of desire on his part. But he had always been conscious of her age and inexperience in such matters, and had been hesitant to progress that particular aspect of their relationship. Perhaps he had been waiting for her to initiate it in the first place.

"On what?" he asked, his voice carefully even.

The pressure on his shoulder eased as she straightened, staring at him with hooded, sleepy eyes tinged with something darker. A smile slowly made its way across her features, and it was _that_ sort of smile. The sort that made him think of heated skin, and hushed moans, and pleasured cries.

"Sakura…" he cautioned softly.

Her emerald orbs grew darker as her smile widened. Linking her hands behind his neck, she pulled him closer to whisper against his lips, "Don't you want to?"

Itachi swallowed hard as desire surged unbidden through his body. His answer to her question was obvious, surely. But should he give in to temptation to take their relationship to the next physical level? To indulge in what he had wanted ever since he had realized that he was attracted to Sakura?

"Itsuki…" Her tone was uncertain now.

She pulled back far enough for him to discern the expression on her face. Her emotion was transparent to him. He knew that she thought that he was about to reject her, and this was enough to bring forth her inner shyness and insecurities, traits that he had not known she possessed until he had spent the last two months so close to her. It made him wonder if she had been rejected in the past, for it would explain her current response to him.

Whatever it was, there was no reason for her to feel insecure this time round.

With that thought, Itachi urged her back towards him, capturing her lips in his. He moved against her, deepening the kiss until she was breathless and he was strung taut with passion barely held in check. Her hands, so small but strong, slid up his neck to his bare scalp and then back down, drawing a shiver from him. Lips leaving hers, he trailed down the arched column of her neck, nibbling his way down until he reached the low neckline of the emerald-green dress she wore for today.

There, he paused, glancing up at her in question. Her hands had stilled as she stared down at him. For a long while, they only kept their eyes locked, neither of them moving or saying anything. The tension was thick, and Itachi felt himself growing more and more frustrated by the moment.

Eventually, too impatient to wait, he broke the silence. "I will remove this, and the rest of your clothing. If you have any objection, tell me now."

She blinked once, and then twice.

And then, to Itachi's relief, she grinned widely. "Only if I get to remove yours," she told him.

Chuckling softly, he quickly gathered her in his arms and strode to her bedroom.

000

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000

Sakura woke up slowly, surrounded by the sensation of being well sated. There was a warm body beside her. For a brief moment, she stiffened in surprise, and then immediately relaxed when she realized that it was Itsuki. Her eyes fluttered shut again as she wriggled back into his body, seeking more contact.

It was the first time they had spent the night together in her room, but then again, last night was also the first for other things. Her lips curved as her body shivered slightly in recollection. It had been amazing, not that she had anything to compare it with. She definitely would not mind a repeat performance. Or two.

Cradled in the crook of his arm, with her forehead resting against the junction between his neck and shoulder, Sakura sighed contentedly. If only she could wake up every morning like this, she would die a very happy kunoichi.

When she realized her direction of her thoughts, she quickly gave herself a mental swat. She did not want to think about what the future might bring. Things were good right now, and it was all because she had made the decision without trying to over-think the situation. There was no point in ruining it now by doing that.

"You're awake."

She smiled, still surprised at the way he always knew that she was awake even though her eyes were still closed. At least she would never complain that he was not attentive to her.

"Good morning, Itsuki."

"Will you be going soon?"

Her eyes shot open at his question, and she straightened onto an elbow to glare mockingly at a sleepy-looking Itsuki. "What, you're chasing me out my own place now?" she asked teasingly.

"Only if it means that you'll move in to the village."

She blinked in surprise, and then flopped back down onto her back before turning in his arms to watch him, reveling in the way his warm skin slid against hers. "You want me to move in with you?" she asked quietly, a little disbelievingly.

His eyes were unreadable when he said, "It would be more convenient."

The idea was tempting, but she knew that it would not work. At least without a great amount of effort considering her job. Giving him an apologetic look, she said, "I need to have access to a lab for my work."

"Would it be possible to set one up in the village?" he asked, running his fingers idly up and down her bare arm. "If I could find you a space?"

"I guess." She frowned thoughtfully. "It'll be more convenient for me to collect samples as well, because I'd save a whole day's worth of journeying time."

"You will move then?" he asked mildly, but the keen light in his eyes betrayed his eagerness.

She laughed gently, reaching around him to pull him close in a tight hug. His scent enveloped her, and she nuzzled her nose against his smooth chest. This man, he was sure something else. She thought that men were generally quite reluctant to commit. Well, at least that was what Ino used to tell her. But Itsuki was obviously different. Only two months of dating and he was seriously asking her to move in with him. Where else could she find someone like this?

"Sakura?"

It only took her a second to decide. She pulled back to explain, giving him an earnest look. "I like the idea, but I can't just up and move, Itsuki. It'll take time."

"Then you will put it in motion?"

She shrugged, and then grinned as she sat up, gathering the sheets to her naked chest. "Why not? It's not like Konoha bothers much with me as long as I deliver the Shinjutama. Still, I need to ask them, and Kobayashi. Actually, come to think of it, I don't really need Kobayashi's permission, seeing that Yugakure is supposedly under Konoha's command now. But it's better to let her know, I guess."

He nodded. There was an odd light in his eyes which she suspected was irritation when he said, "You've only reported to Konoha last week."

Understanding that he did not want to wait, she rubbed up and down his arm soothingly, "Yeah, I won't need to report for another three weeks."

"You will ask then."

She raised a brow at him. "Impatient, are we?" she teased.

His eyes narrowed, drawing a chuckle from her. Deciding that she had teased him enough for now, she swung her legs off the bed. She attempted to pull the sheet with her only to find that Itsuki had no intention of relinquishing his hold on it.

"Let go!" she shrieked, half in embarrassment, half in outrage. "I don't have any clothes on."

He smirked. "I know."

She tugged at the sheet again, but he held fast. Of course, if she really wanted, she could force him to release it. She was a kunoichi after all. But what was the fun in that? Eventually, with a mischievous smile, she let go of her end of the sheet, allowing it to slide away from her body.

And watched with satisfaction as his smirk disappeared to be replaced with a heated look across his face. Laughing lightly, she snagged some clean clothes from the cupboard and dashed into the adjoining bathroom, leaving Itsuki in bed.

Humming softly, she began to shower. She was glad that she had taken a chance at Itsuki. Their relationship had so far, exceeded her expectations. And she was definitely happy that they finally progressed the physical side of their relationship one step further. She still felt rather tingly all over from last night, and the thoughts of what they had done made her smile. It was certainly not something she would regret anytime soon. And based on their conversation earlier, it looked as if it would continue for a while.

Shutting the shower off, she stepped out of the glass enclosure and mulled over her schedule for that day. It was Sunday and she had to go to the lab in a few hours, but for now, she would enjoy it with Itsuki.

As she reached for her towel, she caught sight of the tiny patterns at one end of the fabric. The silver threaded embroidery depicted various weapons, and Sakura grinned slightly when she recalled how fitting it was, considering that it was Tenten who had given her the towel set some years ago for her birthday.

When her eyes landed on the tiny embroidery of a katana, Sasuke's image suddenly to mind, making her frown thoughtfully. Drying herself off, she could not help but wonder if she would run into him again. Or more like whether he would look for her again. He had not made an appearance since that first time a couple of months ago, and to be honest, she was a little relieved. Maybe, as much as she wanted him to join them in the fight, she did not want to risk hearing him say_ no_ to her request. Because she could never tell with Sasuke, whether he was on their side or not, even though her mind and heart told her that he had to be.

She pulled her clothes on as her mind wandered to Konoha. The lack of progress on the search for Tsunade was really bothering her. She wished she could do something more about the situation, but logically, she knew that was impossible. Kakashi was working on something, and he would tell her when there was progress.

Where was Tsunade? What could have happened to her? She missed her shishou, not to mention with each passing week, she grew more and more concerned that something could be terribly wrong with Tsunade.

Sighing out loud, Sakura walked out of the bathroom to find a half-clothed Itsuki standing next to the window, staring out through the gap between the curtains in only his pants. At her approach, he turned to face her, immediately noting her expression.

"Something is bothering you," he remarked.

She gave him a small smile. "Shinobi stuff," she explained.

He quirked a brow. "You do not wish to speak of it?" he asked mildly.

She usually spoke about her worries, without mentioning specific names, but he seemed to understand. Or maybe he was just a good listener. But this topic about Konoha was a sensitive one, and she did not know if she should divulge anything.

Perhaps a little would be okay, she finally decided.

"It's about my village. Since that war I told you about, things have gone horribly wrong." She took a deep breath. "And I wonder whether or not things will ever change."

He regarded her silently for a long while, seemingly considering her words. And then, when she thought that he had nothing to say, he murmured, "Have faith, Sakura. Things always change."

"Now that's just neither here nor there," she pointed out flatly.

"I only meant that nothing remains static. Everything is affected by its surroundings, and therefore, has a potential to shift."

"I doubt the leadership of Konoha would shift soon," she muttered darkly.

"Do you wish it to?"

"As traitorous as it sounds, I just want Konoha back like it was before." She sighed. "But it has been years, and nothing suggests that we're even close to getting there."

"Perhaps you should accept that the Konoha you had once known belongs in the past."

She scowled at him, irritated now. "You're suggesting that I ignore what's happening to it now? The increasing number of conflicts Konoha is involved in ever since the change of leadership?"

"No." He gave her an even look. "I'm merely stating that it is pointless to cling to the past. You have to learn from it, and then create a better future with what you've learnt."

She groaned out loud, slumping. "Easy for you to say." A hand cupped her face, tilted her head back up so that she could see the half-smirk he wore. "What now?"

"Is anyone doing something to change the situation in Konoha?" he asked.

She averted her eyes, not sure how much she should say. They might be in a relationship of sorts, and she felt more at ease with him that she had ever felt with anyone else. So much that she just wanted to confide fully in him, to see what he made of the situation. Besides, at this point, it was difficult to think that Itsuki might betray her.

Trust him, or not?

That was what it boiled down to in the end, wasn't it? She took a moment to think over the implications of what she was about to do, and then she finally took the plunge.

"You remember what I told you about the missing-nins?"

Itsuki nodded once, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Well, I assume that they're doing something."

_Yes, assume._ Because she could not implicate herself no matter what. Who knew if Danzou would be sick enough to grab Itsuki for interrogation? The thought of that sent a cold shiver up her spine, and she had to rub her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill. She did not want Itsuki to go through any of that. Hell, she did not want him to get involved in any of this shinobi business.

"Sakura?" he prompted gently.

Shaking the morbid thoughts away, she continued, "Most of them left because they don't agree with the current leadership. So I'm assuming they're doing something about it in their own way to return things to how it was before."

"Such as?"

She exhaled loudly. "Find the missing ex-leader of Konoha?"

"He is missing?"

"_She_ is missing, yes. Shortly after the new leader took the reins."

"Aa."

She tilted her head to the side, watching him thoughtfully as an idea took hold. "Say, let's imagine you're one of us."

"Us?"

"Shinobi."

He arched a brow, clearly amused now by the way his eyes were gleaming. "Why should I imagine such a thing, Sakura?"

"Because I want to pick your brains!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

"You only need me for information, then?" he asked blandly.

She scowled. "You know that's not it."

"Physical gratification?" he ventured with a teasing smirk.

A heated flush crawled up her cheeks. "No!"

He leaned closer, so close that she found it difficult to breath without inhaling his scent. As always, her mind seemed to cloud over when he did this; approach her with his full predatory attention.

But this time, she managed to dart an arm out to hold him at arm's length. "Stop distracting me!" she ground out, still feeling flustered. "I just want your opinion on something."

The tension dissipated as he leaned away from her, crossing his legs as he regarded her with a somber expression. "Explain."

It was at times like this that she swore she could see him in some higher up position, like the Daimyou's advisor or something. He had this _presence_ about him, although most of the time, it was not evident.

At his questioning look, she finally spoke. "When Konoha was invaded a couple of years ago, the Fifth Hokage was injured badly. So the village council selected someone to be the Sixth Hokage." She frowned at the memory. "The jounin did not agree with their choice, and they proposed Ka… someone else instead. The council was adamant, and somehow, in the mess, the jounin's decision got pushed aside. And then…" She took a deep breath. "The Fifth Hokage disappeared."

"I assume that is the missing leader your missing nins are currently seeking."

She nodded. "Some of us think that she has been taken away by Da… the current Hokage."

Itsuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "Unlikely."

"Why?" That was the supposition Shikamaru had made at some point as well. So it was curious that Itsuki would think the same thing.

"If the current leadership wishes to discourage support to the previous one, the logical step is to eliminate the latter publicly. The loss of a figurehead in such a manner usually curbs resistance," he explained.

She blinked at him. Shikamaru had only had time to tell Kakashi that the clues did not fit, but now that Itsuki had put his thoughts in words, she had to admit that it made sense. Having Tsunade gone in this manner did not make sense at all.

Unless…

"Maybe the current Hokage just wants to use this to lure the missing nins out?" she ventured.

"That is only feasible if Konoha leaves clues for the missing nins to follow."

She recalled that one time they had followed a false trail, and then the ANBU Root's complete ignorance about Tsunade's whereabouts. The entire situation was just so weird. But that was the only time it had happened. According to Kakashi, before that, the trails simply went cold, something which should not happen at all if Danzou had been planting fake trails to catch the missing nins.

Could Tsunade be safe, after all? Or could someone else have gotten to her? But who would do such a thing?

"So, where could she be?" she wondered out loud.

"Perhaps she is in hiding," Itsuki suggested.

"Maybe," she murmured thoughtfully. "But she was in a coma ever since the attack on Konoha."

"She has supporters, hasn't she?"

Sakura nodded, thinking of Shizune, who had gone missing at the same time.

"Her supporter could have assisted her. It is likely that your village have a secure protocol in the occurrence of such unexpected attacks. One which only the highest level of administration has access to. Your Hokage is most likely hidden somewhere safe."

She shot him a bewildered look. "How do you come up with such theories?" she asked, eyes wide. This was not the first time he had come up with completely plausible theories without knowing the whole situation.

He smirked slightly. "It is merely common sense, Sakura."

Oh, he looked so self-satisfied, she grouched inwardly. "One day, I'm sure I'll come up with something to stump even you."

He simply regarded her with a single brow arched slightly.

For some reason, laughter bubbled up her throat, and for a while she completely forgot what she was so worried about. It seemed like with Itsuki around, her troubles did not seem so insurmountable.

And that _almost_ frightened her.

Almost.

000

* * *

000

Almost three weeks had passed since he had suggested that she moved in, and it was nearing the time for her to make her report to Konoha. She would ask the question then, and if allowed, she would move to the village with him. The notion brought forth a mix of pleasant anticipation and a slightly more unpleasant sensation of anxiety.

Perhaps it was too soon, he conceded. He had asked her without thinking through the consequences after all. Instead of contemplating the issue in all directions, for once, he had simply indulged in what he _wanted_.

Still, he was happy with the pace of their relationship as it were. Sakura still made her midweek trips to the cave, albeit slightly extended now, where he would then spend the two days and one night with her, sleeping under the stars if the weather permitted. And on the weekends, he would find himself in her small house in Yugakure.

The stability and routine could almost be described as idyllic.

However, Itachi was beginning to grow concerned that something in his past might affect it; a sort of foreboding. There had been a number of flashes of his past over the last few months, each disturbing in its own way, and he almost feared what his memory might bring next because it could be detrimental to what he had found with Sakura.

There was one particular memory which brought forth this worry. And till now, he had been unable to erase the image of a younger Sakura, standing beside a blond ninja and a taller, silver-haired one. In that memory, they were standing opposite him, their stances clearly adversarial. And in that memory, he was clearly the enemy.

But if Sakura had faced him in battle before, why had she not recognized him? Was it the only time they had confronted each other, and thus, she did not have a clear mental picture of him and was unable to recognize him now that his hair was completely shaven off? It was the only feasible explanation he could think of.

It frustrated him that he could not remember, and yet, part of him was reluctant to do so. For what if his findings destroyed the relationship between him and Sakura? What if his true identity meant that they could no longer be together, and instead, on opposing sides?

"Hey, Itsuki?"

His troubled thoughts were broken immediately by Sakura's voice, and Itachi stood up to walk to the kitchen, where she had prepared their breakfast. Scanning the table, he noted that she had made the fried cabbage which reminded him very much of his mother, for the third time since their acquaintance. He wondered idly if she would prepare the dish more frequently if he told her that it was one of his favorites.

"Eh, is something wrong?"

He glanced up to find her staring at him questioningly, two bowls of rice held in her hands. She looked so _domestic_, with her hair all but escaping the short ponytail at the back of her neck, wearing an apron adorned with the image of a large red apple.

"Nothing's wrong," he told her as he took the bowls from her, setting them on the table before sitting in front of one of them. "Sit down and eat."

She rolled her eyes at him and sat down. "Yes, Taichou."

He froze at the word, a little unnerved by its familiarity. His mind began to process the information, wondering how it could be familiar. A captain? Was he some sort of shinobi team captain years ago? Such a thing would not surprise him, for subconsciously, he knew that he was not unskilled. However, if he was occupying such a prominent position, then it stood to reason that Sakura _should have_ heard of him.

His head began to throb.

"Hey, you're worrying me."

Itachi glanced up from his untouched bowl to find Sakura studying him with undisguised concern. "Just thinking," he hedged.

"About?" she asked as she reached out with her chopsticks for the cabbage.

"About cabbage."

She blinked at him, her chopsticks with strips of cabbage dangling from it paused just an inch from her mouth. "Cabbage?" she echoed disbelievingly as her eyes flicked down to the cabbage in front of her. "That's… surprising. Why?"

"It's one of my favorites."

Her eyes widened. "Oh!" And then, as he had expected, she beamed and announced, "I'll make sure to cook it more often then."

The conversation turned sparse as they continued to eat. Fortunately, Sakura did not suspect anything untoward even though Itachi knew that he was less vocal than usual. She must be preoccupied with her own things, he surmised as he studied the thoughtful furrow between her brows. Something to do with Shinjutama, he supposed, since that was what her work seemed to be focused on.

Before he knew it, breakfast was over, and he was standing at the threshold of her home, giving her a brief kiss.

"So, I'll see you in a few days?"

"Aa."

She smiled, a smile so brilliant that it tugged at something in his heart. Unable to resist, he slid a hand around the back of her neck to secure her. Their lips met and that rush of pleasure and belonging coursed through Itachi as he tightened their embrace, taking a deeper kiss from her this time.

It occurred to him then that he would find it extremely difficult to let her go, if he ever had to. He only hoped that things would never come to that.

000

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000

Days passed and the next thing Sakura knew, she was waking up in the Shinjutama cave next to Itsuki. She was the one awake first, and she immediately stumbled to the rear of the cave where the hot spring was situated, still half-asleep until she splashed some hot water on her face. A sigh left her as slowly, her mind began to focus on her schedule.

She frowned then, when she recalled what she was supposed to do tomorrow. Previously, travelling to Suna was not a problem at all. But now, the journey seemed tedious, even though she knew that at the end of the day, she would see the Sand siblings, the closest people to her these couple of years. Aside from Itsuki, of course.

And the man was the reason for her reluctance to leave Spring Country, even for a few days it would take to make her report and return. She simply found it harder and harder to stay away from him.

But this trip was necessary, also because she needed to persuade the ANBU that it was more beneficial for her to spend more time at the village instead of Yugakure. She would explain that it would cut down on travelling time, and allowed her to obtain more fragments. Hopefully, they would not have too much of an issue with her request.

Completing her morning ablutions, she straightened up from the hot spring and backtracked to the main area of the cave. Once there, she peeked into the large cavern to find Itsuki still sleeping, his expression calm and untroubled as she traced his features. A smile lit her lips when her eyes landed on his eyelashes, and not for the first time, she lamented the fact that her boyfriend had better eyelashes than she had. Her gaze travelled down his further, pausing at his subtly muscled arm before his naked body disappeared under the thin travel blanket.

Mindful of the time, despite her enjoyment at simply _looking_ at Itsuki, she stepped close to the bedroll and called out softly, "Itsuki?"

Onyx eyes snapped open immediately, and as always, there was a hint of wariness in the dark depths before it gentled into something warmer. She had found it curious at first, but soon became used to this quirk of his.

"Sakura," he greeted as he sat up, his usually smooth voice roughened with sleep.

"I have to get back soon," she said absently, distracted by the contours of his pectorals as the blanket puddled at his hips. "I have a long trip tomorrow."

"To make your report to Konoha."

"Yes." Biting her lips, she considered her words before she spoke. "I'm also going to ask for permission to relocate."

Itsuki's eyes gleamed, and the corner of his lips tilted upwards. But he said nothing.

"Assuming you still want me to move in, of course," she teased. "It has been a few weeks since you asked."

"Don't make it sound as if it's not something you want as well," he returned smoothly.

She huffed indignantly. "It's only because you asked," she told him haughtily, knowing fully well that her affection for him could not be mistaken for anything else. It was only with him that she could feel so secure saying things like this, without the fear of rejected. But this development had taken time, she knew, because at first, it had not been like this.

"Hm…" Itsuki paused, regarding her thoughtfully for a while before he spoke, "Perhaps you'd prefer if I withdrew-"

"Hey!" she interjected, scowling. Although she knew that he was just teasing her, she still felt a twinge of alarm at his words. "I said I'd ask, didn't I?"

He only nodded, and then stood up. She could not help but run her eyes over him again, noting that he looked good with just his dark pants and nothing else. The night had been balmy, so it was more comfortable for him to sleep that way.

"I'll be back in a moment," he told her as he walked towards the rear of the cave, where the hot spring was location, pausing only to retrieve his pack.

Sakura had to forcibly drag her eyes away from his retreating back, refusing to continue staring like a starving woman. One would have thought that his effect on her would die down a little, since they had been together for almost three months now. Instead, she seemed to be getting even more attached to him, which was evidence enough that she was serious about this relationship. Fortunately, the feeling was not one-sided. Itsuki wanted her to move in with him, after all, which was just about as serious as one could get without marriage.

Before thoughts about marriage began to run through her mind, she forcibly pushed the notion to the back of her mind. It was too soon to even _think_ about something like that. Besides, with the uncertainty of her future in regards to Konoha, it would be mad to think about any sort of permanency.

Sighing, she glanced around the cavern, her eyes pausing momentarily at the Shinjutama before she saw the things that needed packing. Her pack was open beside her, with a few things still scattered around, waiting for her to shove them into the correct places. Without delay, she knelt down beside their rumpled bedrolls and began to roll the lightweight material up.

She was still in the middle of packing when she heard the frantic yells and the approach of footsteps from outside. Straightening up from her pack, she left it next to the Shinjutama and went out swiftly. The chakra signature of the approaching man denoted a civilian, curiously. It was not someone she recognized, though. Itsuki was still in the rear cavern, so he would not be much help at the moment.

She exited the cave, and then went in the direction of the disturbance. Her steps halted abruptly when she caught sight of a worried looking man running towards her.

"Where is Itsuki-san?" he asked breathlessly.

She inhaled sharply when she detected the scent of blood on him. "He's inside the cave. What happened?"

His panic was evident when the words burst from his lips. "It's Taka and Izo! They are injured. Bleeding all over the place. We need Itsuki to get a Yugakure healer to the village."

Her medic side immediately kicked in. "I'm a medic. I'll come with you."

Just as she was about to follow the man, Itsuki made an appearance. "Kato-san? Is something the matter?" he asked.

The villager was still shaking, probably from the strain of running all the way from the village, but he managed to explain again, "Taka and Izo were ambushed. Bandits, we think. They are bleeding badly."

Itsuki immediately turned to her. "Sakura?"

She nodded, understanding immediately. "Can you grab my pack? I'll go with him first."

"Be careful, Sakura."

Casting him a quick smile, she rushed off with the frantic villager.

000

* * *

000

The moment Sakura disappeared out of sight, Itachi returned to the cave swiftly.

It did not take long for him to locate her pack near the glowing Shinjutama. It was still half-unpacked, so she must have been interrupted while she had been packing. He surveyed the disorder around the pack, and shook his head lightly in amusement. It never ceased to amaze him just how untidy the woman was.

Kneeling down on one knee in front of the pack and her belongings, he began to push things in, only to find that it was impossible to close the pack afterwards. Pausing, regarding the pack with displeasure, he decided there was only one thing he could do.

He began to unpack, intending to re-pack her belongings more efficiently.

It did not bother him that he was riffling through her clothing and her personal belongings, for what they had shared was more personal than mere inanimate objects. Besides, if Sakura wished for him to bring her pack to her, she must have expected him to complete the packing process.

It was then that a black book fell out, flipping open to a page with a picture.

Itachi froze in the middle of pushing the folded blanket to the base of the pack. He stared at the open page, noting the picture of a male with a shinobi hitai-ate, a prominent slash crossing the engraving on the metal. The set-up of the book itself was strangely familiar and it pulled at him.

Something blared at the back of his mind, warning him to close the book and pack it in with the rest of her belongings. It seemed like something confidential, after all. But his curiosity compelled him to pick it up.

Sitting cross-legged in front of the pack, he turned the book to the front and began to turn the pages slowly. Some of the pictures had a cross drawn over it, and these images tugged at something in his subconscious.

He was about halfway through the book when he saw it.

Almost dropping the book in shock, his entire body stiffened and his limbs went cold as he ran his eyes over the familiar image.

It was him.

_Uchiha Itachi. _

_Ex-ANBU S-class Konoha missing nin. _

_Affliation: Akatsuki._

His mind whirred as he took in the information about himself; his year of Academy graduation, his Chuunin examination year, the number of missions he had completed. And the massacre.

Massacre.

His memory provided him with the bloody images of dark-haired, dark-eyed Uchiha, all slaughtered mercilessly by his own blade. The accusing stares, streaks of viscous red dripping down the symbol of the Uchiha clan, the images were so vivid that it was almost as if they were standing in front of him right then.

As he continued to absorb the information, the pressure in his mind intensified, as if a dam was straining to burst, but was not quite able to do so. He fought to break through, but to no avail. It was as if something was deliberately holding his memories away from him.

Gritting his teeth, he stared almost unseeingly at the rest of the unfamiliar facts about him, disturbed beyond comprehension. There was a long list to one side, outlining his skills and the techniques he used, but the words were beginning to swim in front of his eyes.

However, one single word stood out clearly.

Everything faded from his consciousness except for that one word.

_Tsukuyomi._

A hiss escaped him as his eyes began to throb, and he squeezed them shut in the attempt to alleviate the discomfort. His heartbeats seemed to pounding unnaturally loud in his ears, and the word now burnt behind his lids, Tsukuyomi, pounded in rhythm with it. The black inked letters fairly throbbed with power as something in his mind reacted to it.

With a flare of chakra, chakra that he vaguely realized was his own mixed with someone else's, a piercing pain ripped through him.

The dam broke without warning.

Eyes shot wide open, Itachi fell forward, his hands slamming into the floor as he gasped out loud at the assault on his mind. Flashes of memories came back to him in a rush. It all came back even though he began to wish that he remained ignorant of it.

And now, he knew exactly who he was.

000

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000

A/N: Until next time… Please review! Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Another chapter up! A few more to go…

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 12**

The deluge of memories returned violently, as if a floodgate had been suddenly shattered. Itachi's fingers curled against the rough rock of the floor to the cave in the attempt to anchor himself to something solid, something tangible. But it was not enough.

Much to his relief, the intensity of the assault gradually decreased to bearable degree, enabling him to lift his head and rest his now shaky hands on his knees. Staring blinding in front of him, he attempted to drag in much needed breaths of air into his lungs. The return of his memories almost felt like a violation to his mind, as he had been without them for so long. But he knew that he had no choice but to steel himself to accept it, for it was part of him.

The memories of his childhood and his subsequence development as a shinobi were some of the first to return, slotting into his mind as if they had found a long-lost home, followed all too quickly by the events of the massacre and his supposed defection to Akatsuki. He could recall clearly the plotting and the deception which had surrounded him during his time with the organization, and then the battle with Sasuke which had taken his life.

He had died.

He had felt it, felt the impenetrable darkness swallowing him as he took his last breath, so how was he alive again?

Concentrating hard, he caught hold of several fragmented memories, interspersed with many infuriatingly blank spots. It took him a long while, concentrating on piecing them together before they finally made some sense.

Pein had been involved, for Itachi recalled the brief, blurry sight of a studded Akatsuki leaning over him with a frown of concentration. He had also seen a similarly frowning Konan, before his memory turned blank again. What he could discern of that particular time was disjointed, as if he was fading in and out of consciousness, weightless and not grounded. However, the snippets of their conversation had made it into his mind.

"… breathing well and the body is fully regenerated… Jutsu taking effect…"

Konan had murmured softly in response, "… state of his mind?"

"His memories are there, but best left unlocked... triggered by…" Pein's words broke off.

"… he would be more malleable without his memories?"

"Certainly. Would serve well without… as a test. The word, Tsukuyomi would suffice at the moment to… Unusual enough to…"

There was a string of garbled words which Itachi could not make sense of, despite his attempts to capture the elusive memories. He frowned, increasingly agitated by the implication of what he was recalling. They sought to manipulate him, even in his death. Sweat beaded on his brows, and he dashed it away roughly, still greatly irked by Pein's actions.

"Madara must be kept in the dark about…"

"… careful…"

"He's deviating from the original objectives. Not…"

The words trailed off most frustratingly, and much as he tried, Itachi could hear nothing else until what appeared to be another session. This time, he had seemed more aware of his own body, even though he had been unable to move at will. Perhaps he had been restrained, or drugged.

"… functional as a shinobi?"

A heavy sigh had left Pein then. "The jutsu is experimental. We'll see…"

"… not enough sacrificial lives? Do we need more?"

"We will leave him here for now. This location remains secure as long as I still breathe."

"… Konoha now?"

Then there was nothing else.

Coming back to the present, where he was still on his knees in front of Sakura's pack next to the Shinjutama, Itachi focused on steadying his unsteady breaths. The information was almost too much to take, and its return was too fast, too raw, but the _need_ to process it was foremost in Itachi's mind.

It had seemed that Pein had attempted some jutsu to revive him, and from what Itachi could discern so far, this technique had required sacrificial lives. He grimaced at the idea that he was alive because innocents had been killed to fuel the jutsu. What was worse was that Pein had no intention, at least then, to allow him to recover his memories, Itachi thought darkly. The Akatsuki leader most likely wished to control him, to use him, without the risk of him retaliating or turning traitor. Because if Madara had suspected him of being disloyal to Akatsuki's cause, it was highly possible that Pein did too.

Something must have gone awry, for when he had awoken two years or so ago, he had no memory of seeing Pein or Konan anywhere close by. Nor anything else which suggested that they had been present. He had been in the middle of some unfamiliar forest, he recalled.

A little of what Sakura had told him about Konoha's demise came to him then, and Itachi tensed as the pieces of information slotted together to form a cohesive picture in his mind. Although Sakura had carefully omitted mentions of any names while she spoke of her past, it was not difficult to deduce that Pein had been the one to attack Konoha, and had subsequently perished as a result.

So Pein was gone. What about Konan and the rest of Akatsuki? And Madara? How did he fit into this? Pein had clearly kept the information about his revival from Madara. Was he still alive? The notion was unsettling, to say the least. Madara was a dangerous foe, and if the elderly Uchiha knew that he was alive, there was no telling what he would do.

The mystery of his condition now somewhat revealed, Itachi turned his mind to the dilemma he now faced, in particular his relationship with Sakura. The main problem was the connection between Sakura and her teammates, namely, his brother and the jinchuuriki he had once hunted. What was obviously a bad situation before was now worse because Sakura would have something personal against him.

The massacre was the root of all the problems. It did not matter that he had done it on orders. It was _his_ actions, all the same. Itachi grimaced inwardly at the thought of the expense he had paid for it personally. Still, even now, he could see that the massacre had been necessary, for the alternative would have adversely affected the lives of many innocents. The Uchiha clan had not been able see past their hunger for power to realize that the coup they had planned would destroy so many other lives. How could they be effective at their Police Force tasks or anything else, for that matter, if they could not open their eyes to such an obvious thing?

He had been so proud of his clan, until he learnt of the truth. He recalled how disillusioned he had felt at their refusal to see sense. The disillusion soon turned to anger as time progressed. By the time he had received the order to decimate them, he was already standing firmly on the opposing side. That was not to say that he had felt no remorse for his actions; he only regretted that the entire massacre had been necessary in the first place. And the only person who had made him hesitate to accept the assignment was Sasuke.

The return of his memory also brought the knowledge that the Godaime of Konoha was in fact, most likely the blonde woman in the neighboring village, considering the dark-haired kunoichi who had been by her side, and what little he had heard of their conversation. The 'Sakura' they had mention was most definitely his Sakura.

His Sakura…

How would she react to his true identity? The one and only time they had faced each other as shinobi, they were on opposing sides. He had persistent flashes of that particular memory, after all, as if his subconscious had been trying to warn him. Of her standing with the Copy-Nin and the jinchuuriki, facing his body substitute across a clearing. Of her staring at him with a combination of shock and fear and determination. Determination to destroy him, her enemy.

What would she do once she realized that she was, literally, sleeping with her enemy?

Out of his conscious control, a confused, choked sound escaped from his throat, and Itachi fisted the hands which were still resting on his knees, more confused than he ever recalled feeling.

000

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000

The room in the healer's house was filled with tension, its occupants silently watching the progress of the healing session. Only the sound of the patient's harsh breaths could be heard, along with the subtle hum of chakra. The village healer himself, Okada Kaido, stood to her side with a worried frown marring his brow, holding a container of water close to her as Sakura worked on her patient.

This was bad, Sakura thought worriedly as she directed more chakra into the body of the second wounded man. Izo was his name, if she recalled correctly. The damage was severe, more severe than one could expect from bandits. Bandits did not usually possess such potent strain of poisons, so they must have gotten it off some specialists. Unless, of course, the attackers had not been mere bandits, but shinobi.

Still, at least they were alive. Things could have been worse.

She glanced to the side, to see a couple of other villagers hovering over Taka, whom she had just finished healing half an hour ago. His color was better, and there was no longer a rattling sound in his chest when he breathed, telling her that his lungs were functioning properly again.

Now, she just had to make sure that Izo survived as well. But progress had been stagnant for a while, because she needed a certain antidote from her pack. It would be faster than extracting the poison the way she was doing now. Not to mention her chakra levels were dipping low enough that she probably should stop soon.

But Itsuki was not there yet. What could be taking him so long? All he had to do was finish packing and then come here.

"Otou-san?"

Sakura turned to find a young woman fidgeting at the doorway to the room, her expression twisted with worry. Lower down, a young girl who could not be more than four-years-old, clung to her legs. They must be the wife and child of the poisoned victim, she surmised.

"Is he going to be alright, Sakura-san?" the woman asked tremulously. "Will my husband be alright?"

Sakura knew that she had to reassure them somehow. "I'm extracting the poison from his system," she explained to the other woman. "But I'll have to administer some antidote as well."

"Antidote?"

Sakura nodded at her, painfully aware of the other woman's fear of losing her husband. "Itsuki will bring it shortly."

The woman wringed her hands fretfully, but she nodded, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Seeing friends and relatives of patients in such a state was nothing new to Sakura, but she could never get used to it. Her heart always felt heavy each time it happened.

And really, where on earth was Itsuki? Did something happen to him on his way here? Was he ambushed as well? Immediately, fear crept up her spine at the thought of Itsuki being injured.

Knowing that getting agitated at this point would help no one, Sakura forcibly dragged her thoughts away from Itsuki, refocusing on the still-unconscious Izo. She could not let him die. This man had a family relying on him.

After what seemed like hours, but it could only be minutes, Sakura felt Itsuki's presence nudging at the periphery of her senses. She took her attention away from her patient to glance over her shoulder, only to see Itsuki jogging towards her. The relief she felt was palpable, and she had to suppress the urge to jump up to hug him to reassure herself that he was alright.

"Itsuki," she greeted with a smile. "I need my pack."

Once beside her, he offered her the pack. She took her pack from Itsuki, flashing him a grateful smile before she returned her attention to the poisoned man on the bed before her. At the edge of her mind, she noticed that Itsuki seemed strangely tense, but she brushed it aside to focus on her patient. She had to get the antidote in him before the poison spread further.

She rummaged through her pack, noting that nothing was where she had placed it. Itsuki had probably rearranged her belongings, she thought as she located the small box that contained what she was searching for. Flicking the lid open, she took out a sachet.

"Water, please?"

Soon, the antidote was administered and Izo's harsh breaths began to even out. Glad that the worst was over, Sakura ran the back of her arm across her forehead to mop up the dampness. He would be okay now that the antidote was in his system.

She turned to his wife and advised, "He should awaken tomorrow. When he does, give him plenty of fluids." Darting a quick glance at the older healer, she added, "Okada-san will be able to help if you're worried about anything."

Teary-eyed, the grateful wife gave her a wobbly smile. "Thank you, Sakura-san."

Sakura nodded wearily, acknowledging her words. "He will be okay. Don't you worry."

She watched as the woman and the child fussed over the unconscious man, smiling slightly at the sight. And then, realizing that she had better leave now, she waved at the village's civilian healer.

"Thank you for your assistance, Sakura-san," he said.

"It's no trouble at all."

"Sakura?"

She turned to find Itsuki standing just an arm's length away, watching her with an expression she did not recognize. "Itsuki? Are you okay?" she asked cautiously.

It took a moment before the corner of his lips tilted, and much to Sakura's bewilderment, that smile of his seemed almost… sad? But that impression only lasted a second, because with the next blink, he appeared to be his usual impassive self again.

"Come," he murmured, pressing a palm against the small of her back.

Sighing, she reached up to rub her forehead as she followed Itsuki out of the healer's house. She must be more tired than she thought. But as tired as she was, she had to return to Yugakure. That trip to Suna could not be delayed. Danzou's Root accepted no excuses, and the last thing she wanted was for them to get on her case.

"You should rest," he advised, halting once they were out of the village to eye her with concern. "Perhaps you should stay for another day?"

She grimaced. "I need to report to Konoha."

"Hm."

"Don't worry, I won't overexert."

He did not seem convinced by her words, as evidenced by the skeptical light in his eyes.

Giving him a small smile, she said, "I'll see you in a week? I should be back by then."

Itsuki looked at her, his eyes tracing her features even more intently than usual, and then he nodded. Her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. That was it. There was definitely something was bothering him. But Sakura knew that she could not linger, or she would not make it back to Yugakure in time to complete her monthly report, and then travel to Suna.

"Take care, Itsuki," she said, reaching up to plant a kiss on his lips.

Just as she was about to pull away, he wrapped his arms around her and then deepened the kiss. She caught her breath as he nipped her flesh, sending a jolt of desire through her. Her body immediately heated up in anticipation, although her mind knew that it was time to put a stop to it, if she had any intention of arriving in Suna on time.

So she pulled away, licking her lips as she eyed Itsuki with undisguised longing. The weariness from the earlier healing was still there, but it was now overshadowed by Itsuki.

"I'd better go."

Itsuki nodded.

Knowing that she would never leave if she did not actually step away, she spun around and took to the trees. As the leaves blurred by, she thought over her pending meeting in Suna. She had to think of how she should word her request to the ANBU Root, because when it came down to it, she really did want to move in with Itsuki.

Let's just hope that Root wouldn't give too much trouble, she thought.

000

* * *

000

Itachi had remained ensconced in his abode for the past one week, lost in his thoughts.

Ever since his memories had returned, he had been unable to stop himself from reliving every single one of the events of his past. It was an understatement to say that his life had been less than pleasant, ever since he made it into ANBU and found out about his clan's true motives when it came to Konoha. His life appeared to have taken a downward spiral since then.

From what he had gleaned from Sakura, Konoha had clearly changed since then. He did not know if it was for the better now, for conflicts had surrounded the village under the last few administrations as well. But perhaps that had been due to the influence of external parties, such as Orochimaru and the Akatsuki.

Still, perhaps the current regime was what Konoha needed to regain its power.

Personally, he did not agree with the way Danzou handled matters, but the old man was experienced enough to be effective, as evidenced by the Uchiha massacre. His methods had literally eliminated the problems, and Itachi knew that if he had followed his orders to the last letter and killed Sasuke and himself, then things might have turned out better than it currently was, despite Madara being alive. At least, without him or Sasuke, Madara would have eventually withered and died without a single opportunity to refresh his Sharingan.

He doubted that the bulk of Konoha shinobi would agree with his assessment. As far as he could tell, they preferred the gentler, milder approach of the Sandaime and the Godaime. It would be difficult to shift their views to that of Danzou's.

And certainly not Sakura's stubborn views.

He smiled slightly as he recalled all the times she had so passionately defended what she thought was right. She and those in her rookie team appeared to be different from many other shinobi he knew. Despite her profession, she still seemed untainted. Perhaps that was why his subconscious had sought her out. Perhaps his subconscious had wanted to make up for the darkness he had experienced in his past.

It was hardly fair on Sakura, though. She did not know who he was, even though he had not hidden much from her apart from his true identity. One would say that such a thing was the worst of all deceptions. He found himself inclined to agree.

Then there was the issue with Sasuke.

He had no doubt that by now, Madara had filled Sasuke's head with notions designed to incite Sasuke to do his bidding. It was something he had anticipated even before their battle, and had given Sasuke a weapon to handle it. But would Sasuke realize that he was being manipulated? Did Sasuke realize that Madara always had his own agenda, no matter what came out of his mouth?

Perhaps he should seek Sasuke out, to warn him. But would Sasuke listen? His foolish little brother was stubborn to the point of being dense, and Itachi had a feeling that it might be too late to sway any of his brother's opinions, seeing that he had been left to his own devices for the past two years or so. Madara might have brainwashed him completely by now, Itachi thought darkly.

Also, the notion of getting involved in the whole debacle again did not sit well with him. Even with the lies surrounding them, he cherished the time he spent with Sakura and was content for it to continue as long as it could. If he chose to seek out Sasuke now, everything he had with Sakura would end immediately, and that was something he was not willing to do.

Not yet.

He had sacrificed one life, and as selfish as it was, he wanted something for himself this time, for however brief a time. Yes, he was aware that their time was limited. Because he was certain that once Sakura realize the truth about him, that would be the end of their relationship. She was loyal to Konoha to the point of ridiculousness, very much like he once was. And possibly still was, he admitted.

And such loyalty would not allow one to associate so closely with what one perceived as the enemy.

000

* * *

000

Sakura had barely finished her shower, having just completed the journey back from Suna, when Itsuki showed up at the door. Ushering him in with a welcoming smile and a kiss, she shut the door behind them and gestured to the kitchen, where she had a pot of tea brewing.

"Let's sit in the kitchen. How was your week?"

"It was fine," Itsuki responded mildly, sitting down at his customary spot, his side to the window.

She grinned at the man opposite her, at the round dining table. "Missed me?" she teased.

His regarded her seriously, and then said, "Yes."

And that was when she realized that there was something bothering him. He was usually serious, but not _this_ serious. Sakura stared intently as Itsuki his tea the way he always had done, slowly and unhurriedly. She could almost sense the tension emanating from him, even though it was not outwardly obvious. What could be bothering him?

"Itsuki?"

Dark eyes met hers. "Hm?"

"Is everything alright?" She tried to find the correct words to say what she meant. Their relationship was still too new for her to be completely open with him. "You seem a little preoccupied."

His lips tilted in that little smirk-smile, the one that riled her at the same time it made her feel warm all over. Honestly, her uncontrollable reactions to him were nothing but shameful, and she really had to control herself. But despite his smile, there was still a hint of tension in the way he replaced his cup on the table and leaned back against the chair.

"I'm just thinking, Sakura."

"About?"

"Of how endlessly curious you are," he returned, his eyes teasing her.

She bristled, irritated by both his avoidance and the implication of his words. "Are you saying I'm being nosy?"

"Are you?"

A huff left her, and she stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Fine. Forget I asked."

But before she could take a single step away from the table, she felt rough fingers circling her wrist, stalling her movement. The next second, she found herself dragged around the table and onto his lap. Reflexively, she twined her arms around his neck and their eyes connected. His dark orbs relayed his amusement, and Sakura felt hard-pressed to hold on to her huffiness.

"You wish to leave?" he asked softly. "For such a minor transgression?"

She scowled at him. "If it's so minor, then why don't you just answer my question instead of hedging?"

"I was not hedging."

"Half of the time, you answer my questions with questions of your own. That's not how conversations work, Itsuki," she pointed out tartly. "Why do you do that? Are you hiding something from me?"

There was an odd flicker in his eyes, and then he responded, "Yes."

Her brows shot up, not expecting such an answer. "Yes? Yes, you're hiding something from me?"

"There are things you do not know about me," he told her quietly.

She pursed her lips, brows furrowing in thought. What could he be hiding from her? Was it something serious? But if it was something major, why would he admit to it and open himself up for her questions? Or was Itsuki teasing her again? He seemed to like to rile her for no apparent reason, after all.

"Are you planning on telling me any of these things?" she finally asked, running her fingers up and down the back of his neck. Persuasively, she hoped.

His eyes darkened at her touch, a sign she recognized from the many times she had seen it before. But as always, such things did not distract him from their conversation.

"Perhaps. You have secrets too, Sakura. Do you not?" he asked softly, pointedly.

A little discomfited by his words, she muttered, "That's not the same. I cannot divulge confidential matters to you."

"It does not change the fact that I know nothing of your past, your acquaintances and your home," he pointed out. "And your past relationships."

Smiling now, she pressed the tip of her nose against his. "You sounded almost jealous there. Are you? Of my past relationships?"

He shifted so that he was running his lips against her cheek. "I do not know enough to be jealous."

"So, you admit you can be?" she prodded teasingly, pulling back to look at him.

Smirking lightly now, he responded, "It is not a familiar emotion to me. Perhaps you should test it."

She stared at him, contemplating what she should say next. And then she decided there was no harm if she left names out of it. The problem was, she did not quite know what to tell Itsuki. Where should she begin?

Well, she supposed she should always start at the beginning.

"My first crush was when I was eleven. He was in the same Academy class and was one of the most gifted of all of us. I used to beg him for dates…" She paused, chuckling at herself, feeling a little embarrassed about it now. "But he always brushed me off."

"Foolish."

She beamed. "See? I thought so too." The lighter mood made her continue easily, "Well, it didn't work out very well in the end. Because he just left us."

Itsuki's brow rose. "Left? As in a missing nin?"

Nodding, she explained, "He didn't think that staying with us would help his development as a shinobi. He wanted to grow strong fast, because of his… quest." She shrugged carelessly. "We are his teammates, and he should trust us to help him, but obviously he didn't. So he left, to seek… someone else's guidance."

At her proclamation, Itsuki seemed to tense a little, much to her puzzlement.

"Do you still harbor feelings for this… boy?"

She snorted. "He's hardly a boy now."

Itsuki merely stared at her pointedly, waiting for her answer.

She gave him a dry look. "You really think I'm the type to get into one relationship while my heart is with another person?" Seeing his amused smirk, she put on a scowl and went on, "I'm offended."

When Itsuki continued to wait expectantly, she crossed her arms over her chest in exasperation. "Now, moving on from my first crush, which was quite pointless, now that I think about it, I went out with a… uh… friend, when I was fifteen." She made a face. "It lasted about a month, before Narut-" she broke off abruptly. "Before one of my best friends scared him away."

Itsuki smirked. "I'm grateful for his interference, then."

She shook her head, chuckling. "It wouldn't have worked anyway. He wasn't the type for long-term commitment."

"And yet, you were willing to… go out… with him?" he asked, looking genuinely puzzled.

She shrugged. "It wasn't a serious thing, you know. We only went on casual dates. I wasn't really thinking of a long-term commitment at that time."

He nodded once. "Speaking of commitments, how was the meeting with your superiors?"

Understanding what exactly he was asking, she grimaced. "Not that well, I'm afraid." Noting that Itsuki had tensed at her proclamation, she decided just to pour it all out, "He told me to stay in Yugakure until he obtains clearance from the Rokudaime. But something tells me that I'll be staying in Yugakure for a while."

"Hm."

"That's all you can say?" She pouted. "I thought you'd be more disappointed."

"Perhaps it is for the best."

She sucked in a sharp breath, wondering if he had changed his mind about her. Unbidden, her suppressed insecurity reared its ugly head. Cautiously, she asked, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I may…" He smirked before continuing, "… distract you, after all. From your tasks, that is."

The feeling of relief was so strong that she had to consciously refrain from sagging when she realized that he was teasing her. He was not rejecting her. But the intensity of the emotion had shaken her more than she had expected. This whole thing was supposed to be casual, was it not? This was clearly not the case, considering her reaction just a while ago. Her reaction was one of that of a woman in love with a man.

She sucked in a sharp breath, shocked by the realization.

When had this happened?

"Sakura?"

She jerked at the sound of her name, her eyes landing on Itsuki's concerned visage. "Oh, just thinking," she assured him. "Don't worry."

As she broke eye contact with him, she wondered just how her new revelation would change their relationship. She had not expected this to go as far as it had gone, let alone for her to fall in love with him. Did this mean that perhaps it was time to consider discussing the future with Itsuki?

She frowned at the thought.

No, it was still too soon. It would be better if she waited for a while, to make sure that she was fully certain of her feelings and his. Then, she would broach the subject of a common future with him.

After all, there was no rush, was there? They had all the time in the world.

000

* * *

000

Midweek saw them back at the site of the Shinjutama, as per their usual schedule.

Pushing himself up into a sitting position on the bedroll, Itachi glanced towards the entrance of the cave. Dawn had just emerged, signaling that it was time for Sakura to return to Yugakure. In fact, he thought as he glanced at her empty, rumpled bedroll, it looked like the kunoichi had left for the hot springs already.

They had spent the last two nights at the cave, conversing casually as she worked on the large, glowing gemstone. He had mixed feelings about the fact that she had not touched upon the subject of Sasuke or her past romantic endeavors again, because whilst he wished to know more about her past, the revelation about his little brother had unsettled him somewhat. He had not known that Sakura harbored feelings for Sasuke. Furthermore, she had not directly confirmed whether such was still the case.

And this disturbed him greatly.

Perhaps subconsciously, Sakura saw him as a replacement for Sasuke. He might have altered his appearance, but the family resemblance was still there if one was to observe carefully. Sakura might have unknowingly accepted him based on that, attracted to him based on her feelings for Sasuke.

Logically, he knew that he should not be concerned at all of the issue, but somehow, it continued to plague his mind. His hands clenched into fists, so tight that his knuckles turned bloodless at the thought. The notion of giving up Sakura to Sasuke tightened his chest, bringing a sour taste to the back of his throat. He wanted to keep her for himself.

But he knew that even without Sasuke's influence, he was wishing for the impossible. As it was, the relationship was surviving on borrowed time. Deep inside, he knew that he should be honest and tell her what he had unveiled about himself, but he simply could not bring himself to do it. Not just yet. He had to be prepared for moment, for that would be the end of what they had now. Sooner or later, the truth would emerge; he was not looking forward to it.

A heavy sigh left him.

Still, there was something he could do for her now. It would be risky, but he had to do it. He could give her the information she had been seeking for so long. Perhaps it would placate her just a little when the truth of his identity surfaced, though such an assumption would be overly optimistic. He doubted that she would be so easily mollified.

When she appeared from the back of the cave, fresh from her morning ablutions, he got to his feet.

"Want some tea?" she asked as she toweled her damp hair. "I'm going to make some."

He inclined his head, allowing his eyes to run over the form he had become intimately familiar with, feeling a pang in his chest as he did so. The idea that what they had would be over eventually did not sit well with him, but he could not afford to hope that there could be a future for them. Such a hope would be the height of foolishness.

"You'd better get cleaned up," she suggested, busying herself with a small fire and a small metal pot of water.

"I'll return in a moment."

And with that, he made his way to the hot spring. The few minutes he took to freshen himself were filled with thoughts of how he should approach Sakura with the information. It could not be too obvious, or the kunoichi would be suspicious. Recalling the sickly appearance of the unconscious elderly woman on the bed, Itachi decided that that was certainly a venue he could exploit.

Mind made up, he left the hot spring to reenter the main cavern, where Sakura was just straightening to her feet with her pack affixed to her back. "Ready to go?"

"Are you in a hurry to return to Yugakure?"

She raised a brow. "Not really. Why?"

"Perhaps you're free to accompany me to the village?"

"Your village?" she asked, looking a little confused. "But why? Not that I don't want to spend time with you, but-"

"It's not about that," he clarified. "There is someone in the village whom I think could benefit from your medical assistance."

"Why didn't you just say so?!" Sakura gave him an exasperated look, wordlessly telling him that he should know better. "You know I'm a medic nin, Itsuki. I'll always help those in need of medical aid. So, what is it?"

Itachi paused, knowing that this was the last chance he had if he wished to turn back from this particular decision. "Rin has a friend in the next village who seemed very ill. Perhaps you could assist in her healing."

She looked concerned. "Rin?"

"A villager."

"So, her friend is ill. Did she tell you her friend's symptoms?"

Itachi shook his head. "I have not spoken of this to her."

"I know, you didn't want to disappoint her just in case I say no." Her expression gentled. "But Itsuki, you should know by now that I'll help if I can."

Satisfied by her response, he told her, "Then allow me to introduce you to Rin."

000

* * *

000

It did not take them long to make the journey from the cave to the civilian village. Once there, Itsuki quickly ascertained from his fellow villagers that this woman, Rin, was actually in the village. A young boy was sent off to tell Rin to meet them at the center of the village.

As Itsuki led her further into the village, children ran past them, giggling as they did so.

"Itsuki-san!" they chorused.

Itsuki acknowledged their greeting with a nod.

One of the children skidded to a halt, a girl with dark hair and dark eyes. Sakura recognized her as the little girl who had been brought to Yugakure when she laid eyes on Itsuki for the first time. It struck her that up close, this girl bore an uncanny resemblance to Sasuke.

"Itsuki-san! Nee-chan wants to know if you can come by to help fix the roof," the little girl asked.

Giving the girl his full attention, Itsuki replied, "Yes. I'll come by shortly, Kana."

The girl beamed. "Thank you, Itsuki-san. I'll tell Nee-chan."

And then she rushed off with her friends, leaving them to resume their journey.

Several minutes later, Sakura found herself standing at the centre of the village, close to where the head-sized Shinjutama was placed on a pedestal.

"I wonder how they got such a large piece out of the main gemstone," she muttered, half to herself.

"In the same manner as with your fragments, I presume."

Well, they were obviously more powerful than she was. Too bad the Shinju clan had all died out. She would be interested to know what they were like. She was supposedly related to them, after all.

Not long afterwards, a dark haired woman, who was dressed very much like the rest of the villagers in thick woven attire despite the warming weather, approached with a smile on her face. Sakura's eyes narrowed immediately. Something about her seemed familiar, she thought as she stared. And the woman seemed to think so too, by the way her brows knitted thoughtfully, her smile slipping away just as she reached them.

Seemingly oblivious to the exchange, Itsuki said mildly, "Rin, allow me to introduce you to Sakura."

Sakura frowned in confusion, while the older woman gasped suddenly, her face displaying an expression of dawning comprehension.

"Sakura? Haruno Sakura?" the one called Rin exclaimed excitedly.

Sakura's lips parted when something nudged at the back of her mind. A moment later, the image of a picture on Kakashi's nightstand back in Konoha came to her. Her jaw fell as her eyes widened in disbelief. The girl in the picture… it was Rin. The same Rin as the one standing before her.

"You're Rin! Kakashi's Rin!" she blurted out.

"You know each other?" came the curious question from Itsuki.

Both of them spun towards him at once, as if only now realizing that they had an audience. Clearly, the things they had to say to each other were not appropriate for outsiders. Even if the outsider was Itsuki.

"Um, Itsuki…" Sakura began uncertainly, not knowing how to tell him to leave without hurting his feelings. Not to mention the situation was strange enough that he would no doubt want to know what was happening.

Before she could come up with anything, Itsuki interjected smoothly, "Rin, I believe your friend is ill, and in need of a healer. I thought Sakura could help."

"Yes," Rin murmured, with a small frown. "I assume you saw her when you fetched me some months ago?"

Itsuki nodded. "I'll take my leave, if that's alright with you. Kana must have spoken to Hitomi by now."

Relieved that she was spared from making an excuse, Sakura reached out to place a hand on his arm, giving him an appreciative smile for his understanding. The guy must suspect something by now, but he was just letting them be.

"Take care, Itsuki."

He inclined his head and turned to leave. She and Rin watched as he walked away, merging with the milling villagers some distance away, before he disappeared from their sight. As much as she liked having him around, this time, she needed to focus on her shinobi business. Later, she would thank him, she thought with an inward grin.

Sakura turned to find Rin staring at her with a look akin to wonder. "What?" she asked, a brow raised.

Rin shook her head quickly, as if to clear it. "You've been here all this time. If I'd only known…"

Confused now, she frowned. "Why? Is anyone looking for me?"

"You have no idea," Rin said dryly. "We needed a medic. Not just any medic, but someone with skills like yours."

"We?" More confused now, Sakura asked, "Who are you talking about?"

Rin gave her a meaningful look. "Shizune and Tsunade."

Sakura felt her heart skip a beat, and then as shock widened her eyes, she gasped out loud. "Tsunade-shishou?! You know where she is?" she hissed urgently as adrenaline began to course through her in anticipation.

Rin's eyes darted around, checking to ensure that their conversation remained somewhat private. "She's close by," she revealed.

Sakura swallowed hard. "Is she okay?"

Rin grimaced, and the expression made Sakura's heart sink in concern.

"Tell me," she urged.

"The Godaime is alive, but barely. So far, we could only keep her in that state."

Sakura ran a hand through her hair, agitated. "What's the matter with her? And how did she get here? We thought Danzou had her."

Rin shook her head. "Shizune took her away from Konoha. There has been an assassination attempt on her life. Tsunade couldn't protect herself in the state she was in, so Shizune just did what was necessary."

Sakura gasped. "When?"

"Soon after Danzou took over. And since then, Shizune had been running with her, until she found me."

The entire situation seemed surreal, and Sakura took her eyes away from Rin for a while, wanting to ground herself. Her eyes went to the pearlescent, shining gemstone set on the pedestal nearby, her eyes tracing the shafts of lights it reflected when the sun's rays hit it. They were the only ones standing so close to the Shinjutama, which was a good thing, because what they were discussing certainly was not suitable for anyone else's ears.

She finally turned back to Rin to find the older woman watching her with a patient expression. Exhaling loudly, Sakura muttered, "I'm confused. Why are you here in Spring Country in the first place? And how did Tsunade and Shizune find you?"

"Well." Rin studied her assessingly, as if to ascertain her trustworthiness. And then, seemingly reaching a decision, she elaborated, "When Pein invaded, Tsunade activated an emergency jutsu. A scroll appear to reveal where she could find emergency help outside Konoha should she need it. Shizune was there when she did it, so she saw the information before the scroll self-destructed."

"So, that's how Shizune found you." After a pause, Sakura asked, "You've been posted here all these years?"

Rin nodded. "Not only me. There are many of us scattered around, disguised as civilians, but none of us knows where the rest are based."

"Then why-" Sakura broke off in realization. "The villagers' illness almost a year ago… You couldn't help them because you didn't want to blow your cover."

Rin grimaced. "I had to leave the village. I couldn't stay and watch."

"That's why you didn't know I was here."

"I thought it was medics from Yugakure only." She sighed. "Of course, the villagers don't really distinguish between Konoha and Yugakure shinobi. Shinobi is shinobi to them. If I had known…"

Sakura nodded absently as Rin trailed off. They could have gotten together one year ago. The other kunoichi felt guilty, she guessed, but it did not matter. What was important was that they had found each other, even though right now, she was still trying to come to terms with what she had just learnt.

Tsunade and Shizune were alive, and not in any immediate danger.

And Rin was also alive.

She could hardly believe it. And she knew that she would not be the only one. The image of Kakashi flashed across her mind then, and she recalled how he would visit the memorial stone religiously every morning. What would he do if he knew that Rin was still alive?

"Kakashi thinks you're dead. Everyone thinks you're dead."

Rin's expression turned regretful. "It can't be helped. Orders from the Sandaime." Glancing around her village, she said, "I'll get some things and I'll bring you to Tsunade. Now that you're here, we should have enough strength to heal her completely. You can tell me about Konoha on our way there."

Sakura nodded resolutely as a sense of purpose flooded her entire being.

She followed Rin back to her modest dwelling, filling her in on what had happened since Pein's invasion. There, the older medic gathered some spare clothing and without delay, they set off out of the village, heading towards Tsunade. The journey was quick, for neither of them bothered concealing their shinobi status. It did not matter now, anyway, because she knew that the hunt was over.

"The village is just up ahead."

Sakura nodded. In her rush, she simply sped into the forested area ahead.

"Wait! You can't-"

Just as Rin's words broke off, Sakura felt the telltale sign of her body breaching the protective barrier of the village. She halted, confused, just in time to see the civilian village unshielded before her eyes. Only then did she realize what she had done.

Rin reached her then, giving her a quizzical sidelong glance. "Do I even want to know how you managed to just walk through the village's protective barrier?"

Sakura smiled sheepishly when she realized what must have happened. She had not tried entering the protected villages alone before, but she guessed the Shinju blood running in her veins was the reason that she had managed to breach the barrier. "Is the protective barrier powered by a Shinjutama, by any chance?" she asked.

Rin nodded.

"That's why."

Rin shook her head. "You can explain later, I suppose. Right now, let's go find Tsunade and Shizune."

With a resolute nod, they walked swiftly through the village until they arrived at a small, wooden hut. There, Rin knocked urgently on the door, in an odd pattern which Sakura guessed was some sort of code for them.

"Who is it?" a very familiar voice called from within.

"Rin."

The door swung open to reveal Shizune, dressed in typical Spring Country civilian garb. While Sakura bit back a cry, Shizune's hand flew up to her lips, her eyes widened in surprise. It was so good to see her, so good to know that her sempai was alive and well.

"Shizune…" Sakura called out shakily, emotion tightening her throat.

There was a sheen of moisture in Shizune's eyes as she wordlessly gestured for them to enter. The moment the door shut behind her, Sakura found herself enveloped in a tight hug. She gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to cry as she returned the hug fully. It was almost too good to be true, finding Shizune and Tsunade like this.

When Shizune finally pulled back, she dashed the back of her hand across her eyes. "Look at me. Tearing up like some overemotional teenager." Gaining her composure quickly, the dark haired kunoichi gestured briskly to the room at the back of the small space. "Come on in."

With a nudge from Rin, Sakura followed Shizune across the living area to the room where she guessed her shishou was resting in. Her heart thudded in anticipation, in hope, as she stepped into the dim room. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the lack of light.

And then she saw Tsunade.

Her shaky hands clenched as she stifled a gasp of shock. This was nothing like what she had expected. Hell, she did not even know what she had expected when Rin led her to this village and into this small hut. Emotions raged through her; relief, fear and everything in between.

"Tsunade-shishou," she whispered as she flew across the room to the grey-blonde-haired woman stretched out on the bed, the patchwork quilt drawn up over her chest.

Once she reached the bed, Sakura dropped to her knees, her hands reaching forward to cover her shishou's unhealthily clammy ones. Tears burned at her eyes and before the first drop could fall, Sakura buried her face in their adjoined hands and wept tears of relief. It was too much to hold back now.

She did not know how long she had remained there, but she only lifted her head when she felt the firm touch of a hand on her shoulder. Sniffling, she turned to find Shizune standing there, giving her an understanding look.

"She really hasn't woken up since Konoha? At all?" Sakura asked.

Shizune shook her head sadly, and beside her, Rin's expression turned glum.

Sakura turned back to her shishou, studying the unfamiliar lines of her face. The jutsu Tsunade had used to maintain her youthful visage was nowhere in sight. "What's wrong with her?" she asked, fearing the answer.

"A number of things, really. The damage sustained from the battle is all healed, but her chakra levels are low. We couldn't really find anything wrong, except that every part of her is sluggish. Her age is also a factor," Shizune explained.

"Shizune and I tried all sorts of things, but they didn't work. But now that you're here. We have a better chance," Rin added. "There is this high level jutsu we haven't tried because with just the two of us, there's simply not enough chakra."

Sakura's expression settled into one of grim determination as she rolled her sleeves up, her hands already glowing. They had to save Tsunade. There was no other option. And even if she exhausted every bit of her chakra, she would make sure that they did it. Her shishou did not train her in vain all these years, not to have her fail when it was most important not to.

"Let's start with a scan, shall we?" she told the two older medics.

Both Shizune and Rin nodded resolutely.

As her hands made contact with her shishou's body, Sakura whispered, "We will make sure you get back on your feet, Shishou. Just hang in there, okay?"

000

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000

Itachi had watched the two kunoichi as they departed from where they had been discussing in hushed whispers at the centre of the village. Part of him was gratified that he had been able to place that excited spark in Sakura's eyes, but another part of him could not help but know with absolute certainty that this was the beginning of the end. Then, not wishing to dwell on the inevitable, he had pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and turned to walk away.

That was hours ago, and now, he found himself patrolling the forest surrounding the village; he had been too restless to remain in the enclosed area. Walking would clear his mind. And perhaps, a small part of him hoped to see Sakura once she exited the other village. However, something told him that he would be waiting for a while. The Godaime had appeared very sickly, after all.

He paused in front of a hot spring and simply stood staring at the steaming surface, wondering if he could remain here in this village now that his memories were back. He knew that it was an option, but would he be satisfied with the life of a civilian? Or would he eventually wish to return to the life of a shinobi?

Turning away from the hot spring, he stared out into the forest surrounding him, inhaling deeply to take in the humid scent which had grown on him over time. Now that he had his memories back, he was aware that the scent was nothing like in Konoha. Here, the scent of the minerals from the hot springs prevailed, whereas Konoha's air was fresher, greener.

It was not just the air that was different between the two places. The time he had spent here was completely unlike what he remembered of his life in Konoha. Things were simple here, free of the intrigue and the politics of Konoha. Suddenly, compared to his previous life, his life of the past two years seemed far too idealistic, too peaceful.

He knew that there was always a part of him, the part of him that was a shinobi, that balked at this continual suppression of his true skills. Protecting a village from minor threats was not what he had spent so many years of his childhood training for. It was not a proper utilization of his skills.

That brought forth the question of why had he become a shinobi in the first place. The simple answer was that it was all he had known at that time. As skillful as he was, he had just been a child at then, and he had simply complied with what was expected of him. Later, his experiences in the Third Great Ninja War had taught him that hostilities and fighting brought nothing but pain and misery. Since then, he had made sure that he worked twice as hard in the attempt to prevent any more of those sorts of senseless fighting. And in the attempt to prevent more bloodshed, he had ended up massacring the Uchiha clan.

Itachi closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.

The memories had been replaying over and over in his mind, and he was growing weary of it. Still, his thoughts all culminated at one point in the end; Sakura. Because whilst the memories were his past, Sakura was all he could think of when it came to his future. However, he knew that he was wishing for the impossible.

Deciding not to dwell upon the topic any longer, at least for today, Itachi began to walk away from the hot springs, heading back towards the village. It was growing late, and he doubted that Sakura would appreciate finding him wandering about the forest waiting for her. He knew her well enough to realize that she would take such an action as a slight to her ability to protect herself. She was unreasonably prickly when it came to such things.

His lips quirked in amusement at that thought. He still wasn't too certain of her skills as a shinobi. Her chakra control was exceptional, but as impressive as that was, chakra control was not the only skill a good shinobi should possess. Idly, he wondered if he would ever know what she was like as a full shinobi in battle. His only hostile encounter with her so many years ago told him nothing, for she had not faced him one to one then.

Before Itachi could continue his train of thought any further, his senses suddenly prickled, telling him that he was no longer alone in that part of the forest.

He darted a gaze upwards to note that dusk had settled upon them, telling him that it was most likely not someone out for a casual walk. His body tensed with caution as he stealthily expanded his senses outwards in the attempt to identify the other person.

A moment later, it hit him, and his eyes widened in shock and recognition.

The presence was not an unfamiliar one. In fact, he had just felt it several weeks ago, but did not realize until now whom it was.

Stunned, Itachi stared in the direction of the familiar chakra signature, also feeling somewhat torn. He could always depart in the other direction, and thus avoid a confrontation. However, it was too much like running away, which was completely unlike how he usually dealt with situations. Still, despite all his ruminations about his past, he had not anticipated this. He had not thought through a strategy for this particular scenario, and there was insufficient time for him to start now.

Which direction should he take?

Taking a deep breath, Itachi closed his eyes and made his decision.

Cloaking his chakra, he sped across the forest floor, barely noticing the greenery flashing past him. He willed himself to remain calm, although inside, his blood was rushing faster than it normally did.

When he finally stopped moving, he was close enough to see the lone figure travelling silently through the forest, seemingly intent on tracking something. With his memories in place, and Sakura's tales of her past, Itachi had a good idea of whom the figure was attempting to locate. And somehow, that very realization made his hands curl into fists.

Knowing that it was pointless to delay, for the confrontation was simply _waiting_ to happen, Itachi stepped loudly out of the shadowed shelter of a large tree trunk.

The man immediately froze, and then slowly, he turned around. Even before the other shinobi fully revealed his face, Itachi already knew that he had been recognized. And when those familiar eyes locked onto his, widened with shock, Itachi calmly inclined his head in greeting.

Opposite him, the man took a stumbling step backwards, his body visibly trembling as he opened his mouth. And his thread of whisper escaped in a disbelieving rush.

"N-nii-san…"

000

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000

A/N: I'm sure many of you saw that coming – (grins). As always, please review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Apologies for the delay in updating. Real Life is taking up most of my time these days. But here it is now, finally! :)

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 13**

"N-nii-san…"

"Sasuke," Itachi returned calmly.

The younger Uchiha was pale, his eyes wide. But other than that, Sasuke seemed well, clad in the usual shinobi outfit of mesh shirt and dark pants. He was a little taller than Itachi remembered, so the boy had obviously grown in the past two years. Itachi was pleased to see that whatever his beloved brother had been doing lately, it had not been detrimental to him.

For a long moment, they simply stood there staring at each other, as still as statues, and Itachi wondered just how long it would take for Sasuke to come to terms with the fact that he was still alive. He had not expected to see his little brother so soon, but it was fortunate that this meeting occurred after he had regained his memory. There was no telling just how much worse this reunion could have been if he was not in possession of his past.

"How…" Sasuke finally choked out, his dark eyes swirling, locking into its Sharingan mode in his shock. "I… I killed you," he finished in an almost plaintive tone.

"Pein performed a revival jutsu on me," he explained.

Sasuke was still staring at him in disbelief. "He revived you."

Itachi nodded. It was pointless to go into details about his loss of memory, or how he had regained it. Especially since that would implicate Sakura. And he did not know what the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura was now, apart from the fact that they were no longer teammates. What he was certain of was that he did not wish to discuss Sakura with Sasuke.

"Pein… brought you back to life."

"You're repeating yourself," he pointed out, but not harshly.

Sasuke blinked, and then, much to Itachi's surprise, the three tomoe in those Sharingan-reddened eyes swirled and his little brother's face twisted in fury. Something had clearly shifted in his mind. His little brother's previously tense posture turned combative, as his hand reached back for his katana.

"Who are you? What trickery is this?" he snarled viciously.

"You know who I am, Sasuke," Itachi told him calmly.

The katana sliced swiftly through the air, until its tip was pointing at him. The tip, however, was shaking slightly. "It… It's a henge!" Sasuke snarled.

"Stop being foolish," Itachi chided tersely, growing impatient with the denial. "Can you not sense my chakra signature?"

Sasuke's lips pressed together, his body still strung taut as his eyes swept up and down. His hesitation to accept the situation was clear. It should be expected, Itachi supposed, since in Sasuke's mind, he was supposed to be dead. But Itachi also knew that there was nothing he could do to convince his little brother. Sasuke had accept this on his own.

Seemingly stuck at an impasse, they stood there for what seemed like hours, but could only be minutes, once again staring at each other wordlessly. Then, as Itachi watched, Sasuke's hard expression began to crumble and the hand holding the katana dropped to his side.

"It's you," Sasuke finally murmured, sounding a little lost.

Itachi merely inclined his head.

"When did this happen?"

Not wishing to go into too much detail, Itachi returned, "Does it matter?"

Sasuke's brows furrowed lightly, but he said nothing in response. Instead, he continued to stare for a long time as if he was trying to convince himself that this was real. Itachi only stood there, allowing his little brother time to come to terms with the situation, albeit with less patience than he felt a few minutes ago.

Then, Sasuke's expression hardened with resolve. "I know the truth," he declared.

"Do you now?" Itachi asked mildly, wondering if his brother was referring to the massacre.

Eyes narrowed in determination, Sasuke said, "We can give Konoha what it deserves. Between us, they do not stand a chance."

Itachi tensed inwardly. "What are you talking about, Sasuke?" he asked flatly, even though the ominous chill that washed over him alerted him that he would not like the answer.

"Between the two of us, we can destroy Konoha. Finish off what Pein had started."

Itachi felt a flash of ire, but his tone remained calm. "And why do you wish to do so?"

Sasuke's fists clenched. "Because of what they did to the Uchiha clan! Because of what they ordered you to do!" he bit out tautly. "They had no right!"

Itachi's eyes narrowed as his anger mounted. Someone had been feeding information about the past to Sasuke, and he had no doubt that it was Madara. This was something he wished to avoid, but clearly, this conversation was unavoidable. Now, Sasuke had to be made to see sense because he was obviously not doing so by himself. He had spent all his life ensuring that Sasuke grew up strong, to protect himself and the village he had sworn loyalty to. And now, after everything, his little brother wished to truly betray Konoha? To harm those he had grown up with and had called friends?

He had thought that Sasuke was foolish when he sought power from Orochimaru, instead of building his character and strength in Konoha, but now, it occurred to Itachi that perhaps he had underestimated Sasuke's foolishness.

"Why?" Itachi asked softly.

Sasuke looked a little confused by his question. "Why what? They ordered you to kill our clan. Don't you want to give them what they deserve?"

"And what do they deserve, Sasuke? Death?" Itachi asked quietly. "The Academy students, the retired shinobi and everyone in between deserve to die because of an order made many years ago?"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment, and then looked away to one side. His cheeks were red, no doubt with suppressed anger. "What about 'Kaa-chan? Chichi-ue? Our relatives? They deserve to die?"

"Perhaps not. But they had a choice in the matter. They could have lived in Konoha peacefully. Instead, they had chosen to maintain a narrow mindset, fueled by greed for more power, thinking they are better than the rest simply because of a mere bloodline."

This time, Sasuke's shock was evident as he spun back to face him. "What are you saying, Itachi?! Why are you accusing them of such things? Isn't it true that you killed them because the Konoha council ordered it?"

Knowing that Sasuke needed to know the whole truth, he elaborated, "Yes. The order came from the council." He fixed his eyes onto his brother. "But I agreed to carry it out. I killed them, because if I didn't, more lives would be taken in another pointless civil war."

Sasuke's expression tightened as if in pain. "You did not disagree with the council?" His voice was small, disbelieving.

"It was the only way." Itachi went on, "The clan did not wish to listen to reason. Diplomatic measures did not work. The Uchiha clan was blinded by greed, and ended up paying for it with their lives."

"You _wanted_ to kill them," Sasuke said numbly, turning paler by the moment.

Clearly, his little brother had not thought through the situation, or he would have arrived at this conclusion sooner. Perhaps Sasuke had felt guilty for killing him, and thus had been looking for a way to ease his remorse, by blaming the entire situation on Konoha.

Or perhaps, he did not know Sasuke at all to begin with. Perhaps Sasuke shared the same ideals as those now-deceased Uchiha members. Perhaps, clan honor and glory were foremost in his little brother's mind, and everything else took the second place. If this was the case, then he had thoroughly misjudged Sasuke's character. Then again, he was not blameless as well, for he had incited Sasuke to seek power in the first place. But not this way, not to this extent.

Itachi felt the swell of something distasteful at the back of his throat at the thought of Sasuke and his continual quest for revenge. It was as if Sasuke simply wanted to continue to _hate._ This would not do. If Sasuke persisted on this route and eventually exacted revenge against those in Konoha, he would involve innocent parties which knew nothing of the circumstances between the Uchiha clan and the rest of Konoha in the past. Such a thing would defeat the purpose of sacrificing the Uchiha clan so many years ago.

Furthermore, the agreement he had made with the council when he had agreed to assassinate his own relatives clearly stated that the protection on Sasuke's life would be null if the boy acted against Konoha and its shinobi. It meant that Konoha would send out hunternins to track down Sasuke, instead of allowing him free.

"Did you want to kill them?"

Sasuke's whispered question cut into his thoughts, reminding him of the unanswered question. Why did the boy find it so difficult to understand that it had to be done to maintain peace and to preserve the lives of the innocent parties? He finally settled on an answer he hoped Sasuke would understand.

"I wanted the fighting to stop."

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, and then took a step back. "They forced you. You wouldn't kill your own family otherwise."

Itachi felt frustrated at Sasuke's blunt denial. It was as if his little brother simply did not want to believe him. In a hard tone, he ordered, "Open your eyes, Sasuke. And see what is in front of you."

The boy's lids lifted to reveal a pair of pained and troubled crimson orbs.

"I_ agreed_ to kill them, Sasuke. The council's decision was harsh, but it was the most efficient way to resolve the issue. I killed them all on an order, but it was an order I did not disagree with," Itachi stressed. "Those alive in Konoha now know nothing of it, except the council and Danzou. Do not involve them."

"Then why am I still alive? Why didn't you kill me as well?" Sasuke challenged.

Itachi inhaled deeply before he admitted, "I couldn't."

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "Of course you couldn't! They did this to you."

Unstable, his mind warned him. No sane person could be that adamant, not when the truth was glaring right in front of his face. Cautiously, Itachi asked, "What do you mean, Sasuke?"

"They! Konoha! Danzou! The council!" Sasuke snarled, sweeping his arm in a wide arc. "They changed you. It's all their fault. And no one in Konoha stopped them."

"You are not listening, Sasuke," Itachi ground out, displeased now by Sasuke flawed deduction. "No one knew about it. Konoha as a whole is innocent."

"Lies!" Sasuke's eyes flashed in determination. "In the end, it doesn't matter what you say. I'll exact revenge for our clan, Itachi. I'll make sure the corrupted administration gets wiped out the way they deserve to be."

Itachi frowned. "You're not able to destroy Konoha's administration single-handedly, Sasuke."

Sasuke's chin tilted up confidently. "What makes you think I can't?"

That was when Itachi realized that Sasuke had something up his sleeve. That look of absolute certainty on the younger Uchiha's face was enough to confirm that. What was his little brother up to? And what was Madara's role in this? Because he knew that Sasuke could not have come up with something so big all by himself. Could he?

Finally, hiding his concern with his usual stoic mask, Itachi asked, "What do you have to give you an advantage over them, Sasuke?"

His younger brother smirked, triumphantly. "A bijuu."

A chill ran up his spine at the expression Sasuke wore. It was the look of a man driven to the brink, and was tethering at its edge, just waiting to take the final step to insanity. And in this case, the insanity came in the form of mass slaughter. Clearly, Sasuke had every intention of unleashing a maddened bijuu upon Konoha in some notion of revenge. His little brother was truly insane, if he thought that what he was doing was right.

"You have not seen the damage a bijuu could unleash on a village," Itachi told him stonily.

"Soon I will."

"You are being foolish, little brother," Itachi all but snapped, his hold on his temper fraying in the light of the younger man's continual idiocy.

Sasuke's expression turned pinched. "For getting revenge for you? For 'Kaa-chan? Chichi-ue? Our cousins? And what about Shisui? And for everyone else in the Uchiha compound?"

"I acted under orders, Sasuke. Revenge is unnecessary, unless you wish to attempt to kill me again. Do you not understand such simple logic?"

"No I don't!" Eyes flashing and body trembling with emotion, Sasuke went on, "Look, I won't destroy the whole village. I only want the ones responsible to pay."

"You cannot control a bijuu," Itachi warned him again, as alarms blared louder in his head. Sasuke would destroy all of Konoha before he knew it. "You're overestimating yourself."

Sasuke glared at him. "That's it, isn't it? That's always the case. I'm never good enough to catch up with you. That's what you're saying, aren't you?"

This was ridiculous. Itachi closed his eyes, his hands clenching in frustration. Even with all his strategizing and planning, he had not anticipated this scenario. He had expected Madara to incite Sasuke, but had hoped that his little brother had more sense than to believe the drivel he had been fed. But then again, Sasuke had always been rather gullible. After all, it had not been hard to make him hate his beloved Nii-san all those years ago.

When Itachi snapped his eyes open again, he told Sasuke in an uncompromising tone, "You have to stop this nonsense, Sasuke. Otherwise, it would not end well."

"I'll do what I have to do." Sasuke's expression hardened. "If you don't want revenge for the clan, then fine. I'll do it myself."

Itachi's lips pinched into a thin line. He could tell from Sasuke's tone and expression that he was truly serious about this, and would do anything to achieve it. It would be another massacre again, and this time, of the entire village of Konoha would be decimated. Images of the bijuu attack so many years ago flashed across his mind, reminding him of the hot, charred buildings, putrid scent of burning flesh, the roars of agony and fear and the entire franticness of the atmosphere. Of how children were left crying by their parent's lifeless bodies, and how heartbroken parents rocked back and forth on the ground, cradling their children's still forms.

A little more than troubled by the thought that the next of such horror would be brought forth by his own brother made Itachi feel decidedly ill. Sasuke needed to be stopped. Such an abomination could not be allowed to occur.

"Join me, Itachi," Sasuke suddenly said, this time, his tone almost pleading. "Just help me set right this wrong done to the clan."

Itachi shook his head, a heavy feeling in his chest. "You have to cease this plan of yours, Sasuke." After a pause, he added, "Or you'd be forcing me to stop you."

Sasuke's eyes rounded in disbelief. "You cannot mean that."

"I do, Sasuke," he told the younger shinobi in a hard tone. "It is best that you cease this idiocy now."

The pair of Sharingan flashed stubbornly before him, as Sasuke's face became pinched. "You can't stop me," he declared.

"I will." And idea occurred to him then, and Itachi moved with it, "You will have to defeat me, if you wish to be allowed to proceed unhindered."

Sasuke glared at him. "I defeated you once."

Itachi did not bother informing his brother that he was almost at death's door that day anyway. "Then, you'd have to repeat your performance, wouldn't you?"

Legs shifting into a battle stance, Sasuke's jaw ticked. "I don't want to do this, Itachi."

"Neither do I," he told him sincerely, regretfully.

"But if we do this, I have my own terms," Sasuke stipulated.

It was no less than what he had expected. "Depends on what it is," Itachi returned.

"If I win, you will help me fight Konoha."

Itachi's lips thinned. "And if you lose, you'll forget this foolish notion."

Sasuke stared at him, his eyes swirling with all manners of emotion. "No, I will not give up on that," he snapped stubbornly.

Irritation surged within him, even though his little brother's proclamation was not unexpected. "I'll simply have to beat some sense into you then," Itachi declared. But they needed to move further away from the civilian villages. An outcrop of boulders in the distance caught his attention, and he inclined his head towards it. "We will battle there."

And then, he was off, streaking through the forest towards his destination. The rocky outcrop would be far enough from any of the villages, ensuring that no one stumbled across the pending battle. Sasuke followed him, with a flare of chakra assisting him in his speed.

Not long afterwards, Itachi was standing on a high boulder, staring across the rocky area at his little brother, who stood on another, similar boulder. Tendrils of steam wafted from the small, natural hot springs dotting the area, derailed from its upward path by the slight breeze that blew across the space. The area was bounded by the forest, forming something akin to a natural, rocky battle arena.

For a long time, they continued to regard each other silently, assessingly. Waiting in such a manner did not bother Itachi, but he suspected that Sasuke would cave in soon under the continual inactivity. As it was, he could already discern the telltale furrow of irritation between his little brother's brows. Sasuke had never been a patient one.

Almost as soon as Itachi finished the thought, he caught sight of sunlight glinting of the surface of some sort of metal. A flurry of shuriken flew towards him a fraction of a second later, drawing a smirk when he realized that his supposition about Sasuke's patience had been proven correct. Without much effort, he twisted his body, avoiding the sharp edges of the weapons, allowing them to speed past him.

Now that Sasuke had taken the first step, it was time for him to make a move, Itachi decided, lifting his hands to perform the necessary seals. The sequence felt a little alien, a little rusty at first, for it had been years since he had attempted this particular jutsu. It almost made him feel nostalgic.

As the series of ten or so fireball hurled towards him, Sasuke streaked away in a zig-zag pattern, so swift that his feet barely touched the slippery surface of the rocks. Itachi would have preferred to use kunai instead of the fire jutsu for this first attack, but he had not carried any on his person for a long time. Still, it did not matter. At the moment, all he wished to do was to gauge Sasuke's potential, so that he could react accordingly. There was no telling how much his little brother had changed over the past two years under Madara's influence.

After several other exchanges of low level attacks, they met in the middle of the rocky area, merely separated by a small hot spring. Itachi danced around, twisting his body out of the way of Sasuke's katana. He had to admit that his little brother had improved since the last time they had clashed, and had no qualms about informing the other shinobi of that fact.

He blocked the downward arc of Sasuke's blade by deflecting the younger shinobi's wrist, before he remarked casually, "Your skills have improved."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, as if he did not expect those words. "Maybe," he muttered, spinning around to deliver a kick.

Itachi dropped out of the way. "But perhaps not quite enough. Yet," he murmured, just as he launched upwards, knocking Sasuke's katana out of his hands.

The muscle in Sasuke's jaw tightened, but he said nothing when Itachi picked up the dropped katana, raising a brow as he did so. Instead, Sasuke streaked away, putting more distance between them, possibly planning to execute some long-range jutsu. The last time they had done this, Sasuke's movements were indistinct blurs and he had to rely mostly on instinct. Now, however, Itachi could see every twitch of muscle in his brother's form, every shift in chakra, betraying his intent. And he took advantage of this as he moved his hand just as Sasuke's eyes skimmed past that area.

The Sharingan-induced genjutsu instantly took hold, freezing Sasuke on the spot. He could tell that his little brother realized almost immediately what had happened and was trying to dispel the genjutsu. But he was not planning on making this easy for the younger shinobi.

Swiftly, Itachi created a clone and then his hands came up to form the seals for a water jutsu. "Suiro no jutsu!"

Hot water exploded from the spring below, surging around Sasuke until the body of the younger Uchiha was encased in a sphere of swirling water. Itachi's clone stood close, a hand on the sphere to maintain the jutsu, smirking slightly at the glaring Sasuke who had just been released from the genjutsu. Sasuke's skin was turning red from the heat of the water, but Itachi knew that the water was not hot enough to seriously burn him. His intent was only to incapacitate, not to harm. At least not yet.

Keeping an eye on the proceedings, Itachi backed away to a secure position, half hidden by the large boulders in the area.

"Have you had enough?" his clone asked mildly.

Sasuke did not answer. Instead, Itachi watched as his little brother's expression twisted in extreme concentration. A moment later, the air grew charged, alerting him of Sasuke's intent.

Lighting seemed to spark out of Sasuke, immediately charging the water orb surrounding him. Sasuke remained unaffected as he continued to charge the water until it became nothing but a mass of bright streaks of energy.

And then the water sphere exploded with a loud crack.

Itachi's clone, who was in direct contact with the sphere, took the brunt of the attack, disappearing with a loud pop and a small cloud of black smoke.

"Interesting move, Sasuke," Itachi murmured, revealing himself.

Sasuke blinked, as if taken aback.

Itachi continued, "But its application is rather limited, don't you think?"

The other's shinobi's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I don't want your lectures, Itachi. Just fight."

Knowing that it would rile Sasuke, Itachi smirked. "As you wish, little brother."

There was a flash, and then a small explosion of crows replaced him. As Itachi watched from his hidden position, this time low down on the ground behind a boulder, Sasuke's eyes darted left and right searching for him. And soon, those crimson eyes saw what it wanted to see, to Itachi's satisfaction.

The crackle of lightning, interspersed by the chirping of birds that followed soon afterwards, as Sasuke streaked towards a clone he had left in the opposite direction. Swiftly, Itachi peeled away from his hidden position and began to go after him. Blinded by his determination and deafened by the sound of his jutsu, Itachi managed to reach Sasuke without detection.

The moment Sasuke's Chidori connected with his clone, it exploded into nothing. Instantly, Itachi took the opportunity of the distraction to drive a kick into Sasuke's back, throwing the younger nin clear across the rocking clearing. A loud thud and the sound of wood splintering rang through the air as Sasuke crashed into a tree at the edge of the area. Sasuke groaned at the impact, his expression twisting in pain.

A blink of an eye later, Itachi was standing over him, the tip of Sasuke's own katana pressed against his throat. The tip of the metal dented the skin, and then drew a bead of thick red blood.

"Do you surrender?" he asked mildly.

Sasuke knocked the blade aside angrily, his eyes flashing with emotion. A droplet of blood trailed down his neck, unheeded by the angry shinobi. "Why didn't you fight like this back then?" he yelled as he pushed himself to his feet, only to stumble unsteadily back down to the ground, his chest heaving with exertion. "Were you mocking me?"

"I wasn't mocking you." His lips twisted at the irony of it. "I wished for you to kill me then."

"Why?" Sasuke cried out, clearly bewildered. "Why did you want me to kill you?"

"Closure."

His little brother's eyes widened. "Closure?"

Itachi saw no point in elaborating further. Sasuke should possess enough facts to come to the correct conclusion. Besides, he had to leave the area now. As it was, he had already run the risk of discovery by participating in this battle, and would prefer not to push his luck any further. Any shinobi in the vicinity would know that they were there, from all the flares of chakra earlier.

"I have won this time, so you will obey me. Stay away from Konoha, Sasuke. Do not look for trouble," he advised as he pinned an uncompromising look on the other shinobi.

Breathing heavily, Sasuke glared up at him, but said nothing. Soon, he pushed himself to his feet and stood facing him.

"This is not over. I'll come back, and I'll battle you as many times as it takes for me to win," he vowed. Inhaling deeply, Sasuke continued, "I ask you once more, Itachi. Come with me. There's nothing left for you here."

"You're wrong, Sasuke. And I will not come with you."

Sasuke's lips thinned.

Itachi kept his eyes on his brother, willing him to understand, to think and consider the consequences before he acted. What Sasuke was planning on doing would do more harm than good. Could he truly not see?

"It is not too late yet. Do not make the wrong choice, Sasuke."

And then Itachi spun around and walked away.

000

* * *

000

It had been a little more than a week since Rin had brought her to Tsunade, and since then, Sakura had been there constantly, fobbing Yugakure off with the excuse that she had things to do in the cave that could not wait. Her task with the Shinjutama had only been undertaken at a bare minimum level, yielding far less results than usual, and she knew that she would pay for it when she next reported to Konoha. Even though she had found Tsunade, she still had to keep on collecting the fragments to make sure that Danzou did not find fault with her and took her off this assignment.

But she would gladly risk it, for she had something more important to do. Nothing mattered apart from this, Sakura thought with determination as she checked her shishou's vital signs again. Her system was now stronger, and she knew that the day when Tsunade would wake grew close. She could hardly wait for it to happen.

The urge to find Kakashi and Naruto to inform them of this development was strong, but Sakura had no way of contacting them. For her own safety, they had not given her this information, something which really annoyed her now. She knew why they had done it, but it still rankled that they did not think that she could keep her mouth shut under interrogation.

But, there was still one avenue she could explore.

Suna.

On more than one occasion, Gaara had passed her messages from her two teammates, which suggested that he might be able to contact them. Which meant that he could pass a message on to them, even if he did not tell her how to do so. Her lips tightened in determination as she made her decision. She would travel to Suna once Tsunade was healed, and then ask Gaara to get hold of Kakashi and Naruto. With Tsunade well on the way to recovery, this would be quite soon.

She looked up away from the unconscious Godaime, noting that the sun was rising. The knowledge that she had stayed up all night again dragged forth a wide yawn from her. But it could not be helped. She needed all the time she could get, and she did not dare to stay away from Yugakure too long. As it was, she only returned at the most, two days a week. And she spent most of those two days in her lab, nodding off in front of her research.

Raising her hand, she rubbed her sore eyes. She should have enough chakra to extract a few fragments of Shinjutama before she returned to Yugakure, but she had better get to it now before she succumbed fully to weariness. Besides, Itsuki normally turned up at midday, and she did not want to miss him.

With that thought, she gathered her belongings and left Tsunade's room. Darting only a quick glance at the other closed door in the space, she quietly slipped out, knowing that Shizune was fast asleep. Rin was probably back in her own village by now, resting after that massive healing session yesterday.

As the warmth of the sun hit her face, she sighed softly. She would love to get to the cave faster, but she needed her remaining chakra for the extraction, so that meant that she would be travelling the old-fashioned way.

Trudging along the forest floor, she let her mind wander away from Tsunade and the Konoha situation, focusing instead on the other important aspect of her life; Itsuki. As perceptive as she knew him to be, the man had probably noticed that she had been distracted and tired lately, but thankfully, he was not the type to probe. Still, that did not mean that he was not concerned. She smiled, recalling the telltale darkening of his eyes when he had rubbed a thumb under her shadowed eyes last week.

She missed him. Even with everything moving ahead so fast that she barely had time to sleep, she missed him. The idea she had a few weeks back about discussing a possible future came to her again, but upon further consideration she realized that her own future was now even more uncertain for her to broach the subject with Itsuki. What could she possibly tell him? That she wanted him to wait until things in Konoha settled, and then start a new life together with him?

A grin lit her face at Itsuki's possible reactions to that. The man would probably say that she was being foolish, planning something upon such uncertainty. Chuckling softly to herself as she continued to imagine what else Itsuki would say, she continued on her way to the cave.

Itsuki was there when she arrived, and she felt her heart lurch with happiness at the sight of his relaxed figure on the ledge outside the cave, partially shadowed from the sun. She had not expected to see him there so early in the morning.

"Itsuki," she greeted, rushing towards him.

He straightened, catching her by the waist when she reached him. "Sakura."

She planted a kiss on his lips, and as she tightened her arms around him, she felt him tense for a moment before he reciprocated. Sometimes, when he held her like this, it almost seemed like he was trying to physically absorb her. And he was possessive of her too. But then again, the same could be said for her. She did not even want to think of how she would feel if another woman pursued Itsuki. He felt so much like a permanent part of her that she did not think that she could ever let him go.

After a while, both of them reluctantly drew back from each other. Only then did Sakura notice the strained look on his face, much to her bewilderment. And a moment later, the reason for it became apparent when she happened to glance down at her own hand.

It was stained red.

"Itsuki, you're wounded!" she exclaimed, horrified at what she was seeing. "What happened?"

"Intruder close to the village," he told her simply.

"Sit down on the ledge," she ordered briskly as she sat down, patting the stone surface beside her, wondering how the hell the intruder had managed to injure him so badly that he was bleeding through his clothes.

When he obeyed, she adjusted her position so that she was sitting sideways on the ledge, facing his back. Carefully, she stripped off his dark grey cotton top, its back now stained dark with blood. There was a similarly stained bandage underneath, she noted with a grimace. The rough manner in which it was wrapped around him indicated clearly that it had not been done in a professional manner.

"Has Okada-san seen this?" she asked tersely, referring to the village's elderly healer.

Itsuki shook his head.

"And you didn't think it was necessary to get it seen to properly?" she asked incredulously. "What are you thinking, Itsuki?"

"I did not wish to trouble him."

She did not bother to hide her exasperated huff. Deciding to give him a proper scolding at some point, but not now, she reached out for the ends of the bandage. With practiced ease, she unrolled the bandaged from around his torso.

Once the wound was exposed, Sakura inspected it with narrowed eyes. The wound was clean. But what was surprising was that it looked like the skin had burnt off, the type of wound she had seen on shinobi subjected to fire jutsu. This was not an attack from some civilian bandit, she was sure of it.

"The intruder was a shinobi?" she asked.

"Aa."

She reared back in alarm. It could not be what she was thinking, could it? Not so soon. "Were you able to tell where they were from?" she asked, her voice unnaturally tight.

Itsuki gave her an odd look. "The intruder had no shinobi headband."

"I see." At least it was not Konoha. Konoha ANBU Root wore headbands.

Not wishing to risk probing further, lest he became suspicious of her questions, Sakura returned her attention to the wound. Realizing that she had not healed him before, she warned, "Keep still. This may feel a little odd."

She drew chakra to her hands, and once they glowed green, she placed them over his wound. Itsuki flinched slightly at the contact, but she did not stop. His damaged flesh gradually knitted back together as she fed more chakra into him, forcing his cells to regenerate. Her brows furrowed as a sudden thought occurred to her. In some ways, Itsuki's profession was just as dangerous as hers, especially at times like this when he encountered shinobi.

"Is the shinobi still alive?" she asked, curious about how he had managed to escape in the first place.

"Yes. I did not kill him."

She frowned at his choice of words. A little hesitantly, she ventured, "Then, you won the battle?"

"Aa."

She blinked in surprise. That was unexpected. It could have been a low-level nin, she supposed, to have lost to a civilian. Not that she was complaining. She was happy that Itsuki had encountered a low-level nin, not some S-class rogue nin. Still, she would have preferred that he never got hurt in the first place.

After a while, Itsuki's wounds closed, leaving a patch of new, pink skin as the only remaining evidence of his injury. The glow of her hands faded, but she did not remove them from his back. Instead, she rubbed lightly in a circular motion, feeling Itsuki's muscles relax under her touch.

"Can you try to not get injured again?" she asked, a little beseechingly.

She could not see his face, but she could hear the amusement in his tone as he replied, "I assure you, I do not seek opportunities to get myself wounded."

"Fine." Her brows furrowed at the thought of him encountering more shinobi. "But when you see a shinobi next time, just run, okay? Don't fight them."

His muscles tensed beneath her palms, making her bite her lower lips. Perhaps she had offended his pride? However, his voice was smooth when he murmured, "You don't even know what I'm capable of, Sakura."

She huffed irritably. So, it was his male pride, after all. Still, there was no point in pushing the topic. Itsuki could be stubborn when he felt like it. It was best that she shifted the topic of conversation elsewhere.

With that thought, her fingers trailed up his scalp, feeling the bristly new hair. It was black, she noted, not for the first time. "Ever think of growing your hair out?" she asked idly.

"Perhaps," he murmured, glancing over his shoulder to give her an amused look. "Why? Does my current appearance displease you?"

She withdrew her hands, standing up to walk around to scowl at him. "You know that's not it."

"My appearance pleases you then?"

"Are you actually fishing for compliments?" she asked, incredulously.

He merely raised a brow, drawing a grin from her, her earlier exasperation forgotten. It was almost scary how he could affect her emotions with so little effort.

"Come on. Let's go in."

"Aa."

With a little hop in her step she reached for his arm, dragging him with her into the cave. She was glad that he came to accompany her while she did her work, or else she would never see him at all, with everything that was going on.

Soon, she vowed to herself as they entered the inner cavern where the Shinjutama was situated. When Tsunade woke and the plans for retaking Konoha solidified, she would speak to Itsuki about the future. Maybe he would not mind moving to Konoha with her. She really hoped that that was the case, because she was not too keen on the idea of giving up her shinobi profession. Who knew, maybe Itsuki could train to be a shinobi as well.

000

* * *

000

It was midday, and the sun was beating down relentlessly onto the village. Laughing children ran and played with each other, seemingly unaffected by the unseasonably hot weather, while adults sipped cool drinks in the shade, fanning themselves at intervals.

Making his way out of the village, Itachi inclined his head in greeting at the villagers he passed. As he did so, he caught sight of the now fully-healed Taka. The man had come to him earlier, with the disturbing news that some of the others had caught sight of strangers several days ago, while they were travelling back from the town. This was the reason he was leaving the village to patrol out of schedule.

The presence of strangers unsettled him. He could not help but wonder if they were just bandits, or shinobi. The villagers' description had not been useful, for they only took note of dark cloaks covering the forms of those strangers. It made him edgy, not knowing what could be lurking out there in Spring Country. Still, now that he knew whom he was and was aware of the full scale of his abilities, he was confident that he could handle whoever those strangers were. He just preferred not to encounter them in the first place.

Speaking of strangers, he thought darkly. A certain kunoichi was fast becoming one. More than three weeks had passed since he had introduced Sakura to Rin, and since then, he had seen her only three times, each time when she had gone to the cave to execute a rushed job of extracting the Shinjutama. It had been clear on those occasions that her mind had been on Tsunade, and since she could not speak to him about it, conversation had been sparse between them. She had told him that she had important things to do for a while, and for him to put his visits to Yugakure on hold until further notice. From what he gathered, she had been spending all her time at the other village, hardly returning to Yugakure at all.

Still, he missed her. A part of him acknowledged that this gradual increase in distance was probably for the best, but another part of him balked at the separation.

They had not spoken of his offer for her to move in with him, and as much as he disliked to admit it, he felt somewhat put out by the silence. He kept telling himself that it did not matter at this point, surely. Once Tsunade was healed, Sakura would focus her attention on the coup they would no doubt launch to regain control of Konoha. When the coup commenced, Sakura would have to leave Spring Country to fight in Konoha. That would push them further apart. A natural separation was inevitable, and all things considered, it was for the best.

But he still, foolishly, hoped for something different for their relationship.

He exhaled loudly, somewhat disgusted by his own weakness, as he traversed the forest in an outward spiral route in order to cover more ground. Approaching higher ground, he glanced through the gaps between the trees to a location in the distance, marked by an outcrop of rocks. Three battles had taken place there over the past one month. Once on the day when he reunited with Sasuke, once a week later, when Sakura had healed him, and the most recent one was several days ago.

The thought of it made Itachi grimace in displeasure. Completely healed from the wounds from the previous battle, Sasuke had challenged him again. And once again, with his renewed body and eyes, Itachi had no trouble defeating the younger Uchiha. Sasuke had not bothered to hide his frustration at his defeat, but he was clearly not giving up on his foolish ambition. But Itachi was growing annoyed by his persistence. He had hoped that Sasuke would relent, but from the look in his eyes, Itachi knew that his little brother would return over and over again, until he secured a victory.

Surely Sasuke have learnt by now that he would continue to lose. As much as he cared for the boy, Itachi had no intention of allowing Sasuke to win. Perhaps, he should tell his foolish little brother to cease challenging him. Or perhaps he should injure the boy more severely so that he remained incapacitated for longer, he thought darkly.

Leaving the higher ground, Itachi continued on the route he had marked out mentally. The route would soon take him past the Shinjutama cave.

Then, suddenly, he felt it. It was merely a flash, but he recognized it for what it was.

There was someone at the cave, Itachi realized. The presence was foreign, but clearly shinobi in nature. Thankful that his chakra was already concealed, as was his usual habit, Itachi stealthily made his way to the target area. As he came closer, he managed to discern four individual chakra signatures, instantly warning him that it was a full team of shinobi.

A frown creased between his brows as Itachi stilled, keeping his body hidden in the shadows of a large tree trunk. Were they Konoha ANBU Root? If they were, then what were they doing in the cave, when Sakura was not even there? In all this time, except for that once when Sakura had been running from them, they had not bothered to check on her.

And then he blinked in comprehension when he realized what had changed recently.

Sakura had not returned to Yugakure as often as she usually did over the past few weeks. That, in itself, constituted suspicious behavior. And from what he knew of Danzou, the old man would have planted spies in Yugakure to keep an eye on the lone Konoha shinobi there. That could be why there were shinobi searching over the Shinjutama cave.

Still, it was all conjecture at this point. It was best that he confirmed his suspicion before he said anything to Sakura. There was a slim possibility that this was merely a false alarm, and the shinobi signatures he had just sensed belonged to some lost nin, although he highly doubted it.

Keeping his presence tightly masked, he stealthily made his way closer to the cave until the entrance came into his view. Finding a particularly wide tree trunk, he slid behind it and subtly concealed himself with genjutsu. He could sense them moving within, and was content to wait until they exited.

He did not have to wait long, for a moment later, four shinobi exited the cave.

Itachi's eyes narrowed in displeasure when he realized that his suspicion was correct. Those four were Konoha ANBU Root, based on their attire and the way they held themselves. And their presence here certainly spelled trouble for a certain pink-haired kunoichi.

He had to warn her.

With that thought, Itachi backtracked away from the cave, blending into the surrounding trees until he was far away from the squad of ANBU Root before he released the concealment genjutsu. Since Sakura was not at the cave, she could only be at one of two other places. He could not access the other village, nor wait for her there without raising suspicion. Therefore, his only option was to seek her at her house in Yugakure. In fact, she should present there tomorrow, for she would have to complete her report to Konoha before leaving to meet Danzou's underlings.

He barely felt the brush of the dense growth of the forestry as he sped through the space, intent on reaching Yugakure to wait for her there. His presence would not raise suspicion, for he had been a regular visitor for months now, not counting the irregularity of his visits in the past few weeks. It was unlikely that the shinobi there would ask too many questions, in any case.

It took the customary half a day for him to reach the shinobi village. As he approached the gates, the purple-haired shinobi on guard raised his hand in greeting.

"Itsuki-san!" he greeted. "Come for another visit, huh?"

Itachi nodded. "May I enter?"

The shinobi shrugged. "Go ahead." A thoughtful frown furrowing his brow, he added, "Not sure if Haruno is around, though. I don't remember seeing her around."

"She is probably busy in her laboratory," Itachi commented.

"Aa. That's right." The shinobi gestured back towards the village. "Well, you know where to go."

"Thank you," Itachi said as he walked through the open gates and made his way towards Sakura's lodging, the shinobi in him a little more than appalled at the standard of security at this village.

The Yugakure shinobi paid him no notice as he walked past them, keeping his true presence hidden and his eyes downcast. It would not do to draw undue attention. Eager to be away from the public eye, his steps sped up slightly when he caught sight of Sakura's modest accommodation. Lack of skill as they were as shinobi, they were _still _shinobi, and it made Itachi somewhat edgy to be close to them.

A second later, however, his steps halted abruptly. There was already someone in there, and it was not Sakura. His eyes were still fixed to the building when shock slammed through him at the realization of who was inside. It was someone who was leaking just enough chakra for him to identify.

Sasuke.

What was his foolish little brother doing in Sakura's home? Shock gave way to displeasure, causing his jaw to tighten as his hands clenched into fists. Had he been there all this time? No, surely Sakura would have said something to him. After all, he had seen her only a week ago, and Sasuke, a few days after that. Besides, he had injured Sasuke badly enough to keep him from doing anything foolish for at least a week or two.

Then, Itachi's eyes narrowed when something occurred to him. Perhaps Sasuke's injuries were the reason for his presence. If that was the case, how many times had Sasuke come to Sakura for treatment? How long had this been going on? And why had Sakura not mentioned the presence of another person in her home?

At a loss as to how he should proceed next, Itachi simply stood there staring at the place, until a clumsy shinobi bumped into him, jolting him out of his troubled thoughts. Itachi barely heard the shinobi apologize as he forced himself to walk away from Sakura's house. He knew that he had to warn her about those Root operatives, but with Sasuke there, it would be impossible to do so, therefore he might as well leave.

Suppressing his tumultuous thoughts, Itachi made a beeline for the entrance. When he passed the gates again, the purple-haired guard raised a questioning brow at him, to which he replied by shaking his head. The guard simply gave him a sympathetic look. Had he appeared so desperate to see Sakura? The notion made him feel foolish.

It was only when Itachi was far enough away from the village to avoid detection that he stopped. The moment he did so, the flood of emotion crashed over him, making him clench his fist in the anger that dominated his entire form. He had to forcibly will himself to think rationally, and not to jump to unreasonable conclusions. Sakura was hardly the type to deliberately lie or cheat on him.

Sasuke was in Sakura's place, and neither of them bothered to mention it. Which he supposed was understandable, since neither of them knew of his connection to the other. It infuriated him, however, the notion that Sasuke was in contact with Sakura and he did not know it. He did not like the fact that Sakura kept something like this from him, even though logically, he understood why she had not seen the need to inform him.

A harsh exhalation of breath left him as he raised a hand to knead the bridge of his nose. Besides, it was hardly fair that he expected her to be forthright with him when he kept his identity a secret from her. He had no right to expect anything from her at all.

In the end, there were just too many secrets between them.

And in the end, he was certain that it would all blow up in their faces.

000

* * *

000

It had taken almost four weeks.

Almost four long weeks of long days of healing, sleeping only to recoup enough chakra to continue again the next day. But it had been worth it. Because, nothing could compare to the feeling she felt right now as she watched Tsunade stir on the bed, all on her own. Shizune was on the opposite side of the bed, while Rin stood further away, at the foot of the bed.

Leaning lower, she called out softly, "Shishou? It's Sakura here."

Tsunade's bleary honey-colored eyes peeled open at her voice. They were unfocussed, darting around but obviously not seeing anything. But it was a start. At least her eyes were now open. And then, a thread of whisper escaped her dry lips. Sakura frowned, trying to make out what she was saying.

Shizune leaned closer, frowning in concentration as she listened. "Tsunade-sama? What do you need?" she prompted.

Sakura bent closer, straining to hear. She only caught her shishou's whispery voice saying, "… ake…"

Shizune immediately reared back, glaring down at the older woman. "Oh for goodness's sakes, Tsunade-sama! You can't stop thinking about sake even now? You've just woken up from a two-year coma!"

Tsunade's eyes flittered around, before finally focusing on Shizune and then on to her. Much to Sakura's delight, her shishou's lips curved in a weak smile. A chuckle left her then, as she grasped the older woman's thin hands.

"You made it, Shishou!" she exclaimed.

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by a long bout of dry, hacking cough.

Panicking slightly, Rin rushed for a cup of water, thrusting it at Shizune, who brought the cup to Tsunade's trembling lips. "Sip slowly."

Tsunade did as she was told, taking a few slow sips of the water. And then, Sakura watched as the woman waved the water away in a manner so familiar that it made her smile widely. The older woman still looked tired and weak, but now that she was awake, relief and hope flared vividly in Sakura's heart.

Finally, in a weak voice, Tsunade whispered, "Two years, you said?"

"I'm afraid so, Tsunade-sama," Shizune told her.

"Where am I?"

"In one of the secure locations. Spring Country."

Tsunade grimaced. "So, it happened, after all."

Sakura threw a questioning glance at Shizune, who explained, "Tsunade had a bad feeling about Pein's attack, that the Konoha administration would be overtaken by someone in the chaos, and that's why she unsealed the secure scroll just before she went off to face Pein."

"I see," Sakura muttered, thinking how fortunate it was that Tsunade had done so.

"I'm tired," Tsunade said weakly.

And before anyone could say anything, she drifted off to sleep again. Worried, Sakura placed a glowing hand on the sleeping woman's abdomen, intending to run a quick assessment.

"She's probably just exhausted," Shizune said.

Finding that her assessment confirmed Shizune words, Sakura withdrew her hands. Glancing up at the other Leaf nin, she asked, "So, now what?"

Shizune eyed the sleeping Hokage contemplatively. After a moment, she said in a quiet voice, "Tsunade would want to take Konoha back."

"Of course!" Sakura exclaimed. Then she noticed the odd look on her sempai's face, and something dawned on her. "You don't want to?" she asked, not bothering to hide her incredulous tone.

The dark-haired kunoichi shook her head slowly. "I'd like to go back, but…" She reached down to brush Tsunade's grey-blonde hair out of her face before continuing, "Tsunade-sama has been through a lot. And if she does this…" she trailed off, leaving her thoughts unvoiced.

Sakura sagged a little. "She might not make it out alive again," she finished grimly.

Shizune did not respond, but Sakura knew that she was right. Tsunade had barely made it out alive during the skirmish with Pein, and there was no telling how the situation would pan out if they do decide to launch an attack on Konoha. As far as she knew, the village had been completely rebuilt after the attack, and she was certain that new security measures had been put in place in light of the latest attack. It meant that they did not have an advantage of knowing what they were walking into.

It was pointless to think about it now. They could only wait for Tsunade to decide what they should do. Ultimately, it was her call, and the rest of them would follow.

She glanced out of the window, noting the color of the sky. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was time for her to leave. Knowing that she had no time to linger, she turned to the other medic.

"I need to head back now. I have to report to Danzou tomorrow."

Shizune nodded. "Make sure you don't let anything out."

"Understood." Glancing at the sleeping Tsunade, she continued, "I'll come back in a week, or faster, if I can."

"Don't do anything out of the ordinary, or Danzou might get suspicious."

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "Too late for that now, because with all the healing, I haven't been able to get as much Shinjutama as I would normally."

"You'd better go then. No reason to make things worse."

Sakura nodded, and with a small wave, she left the small hut.

Soon, she was travelling rapidly through the forest of Spring Country, eager to reach Yugakure. Sparing a glance to the east where Itsuki's village was, she could not help but wonder when she would get the opportunity to see him. It had been a week since they had last met, and she would have to wait until she returned from Suna before she could see him again, she thought with a dejected sigh. Still, this had to be done. She had to send off a message to Kakashi tomorrow, through Gaara.

Half a day later, she found herself walking through the gates of Yugakure, bathed in the moonlight. Much to her surprise, as she passed the bar on her way home, someone called her name.

"Haruno-san!"

She turned around to find a purple-haired shinobi jogging towards her. "Kuro-san?"

The shinobi stopped in front of her, a bottle of something obviously alcoholic held in one hand. "Say, I thought you should know your other half came over yesterday."

"Itsuki?" Sakura's eyes widened in pleasure. "He did?"

Kuro nodded. "But he left, since he couldn't find you. Didn't look to happy about it, if you ask me."

She deflated immediately. "Oh. Thanks for letting me know."

The Yugakure shinobi nodded once, and then waved at her before he walked away.

With a sigh, Sakura continued her journey to her house, feeling even more disappointed now that she knew that she had missed Itsuki. Come to think of it, why didn't he just wait for her? She thought he had a copy of her keys, after all. He knew that she would return to write her report. Hell, sometimes she could even swear that he knew her schedule better than she did.

Reaching home, she reached out to unlock the door and then stepped in. Lost in her thoughts, it took her a while to register that someone else was there. Hope flared within her instantly, until her senses informed her that the person was not Itsuki.

A second later, she gasped when she realized to whom the shadowed form sitting on her couch belonged to.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't be here," she hissed, striding towards him, slapping the light switches on. "You're in the Bingo Book and…" Her words died out when she caught sight of her old teammate.

Sasuke was injured.

Eyes widened in alarm, she rushed towards him. "What happened?" she asked as she surveyed the rough bandages Sasuke had obviously applied to himself, covering his lower torso, his thigh and both his hands. The injuries were not new, judging by the dried, brownish blood.

Sasuke only shook his head once, but there was this haunted look in his eyes that she did not like. The urge to press him for an answer surfaced, but she brushed it away. She knew that there was nothing she could do to force him to tell her anything. This was Sasuke, after all, and she doubted that he had changed _that_ much over the years.

So, she sat down on the couch beside him and focused on using her chakra to stitch back the gashes. He had done a good job cleaning them. And although they were not minor wounds, none of them was life threatening. They were just uncomfortable and painful. Enough to keep him incapacitated for a while.

"Where were you?" he asked suddenly.

She stiffened slightly at the question. "On a mission," she answered vaguely. "Why?"

He shrugged. "You weren't here."

She smiled, catching a hint of petulance in his words. "You came at the time of the week when I'm not here, so what can I say?"

He did not answer, simply sat there staring thoughtfully at something. Although he was usually withdrawn, Sakura found herself believing with absolute certainty that something was wrong. She did not know how she came to that conclusion, but once the idea lodged itself in her head, she could not shake it.

Despite her earlier resolution to avoid pressing him, she asked, "What's wrong, Sasuke?"

He shook his head, so quickly that it made her brows furrow with the conviction that something was definitely not right. Still, it was obvious that he was not planning on enlightening her.

Deciding to distract him, she spoke about Konoha as she began to heal his wounds. She told him about everything she knew about Konoha, leaving out the fact that she had found Tsunade. As much as she cared for Sasuke, she just could not take the risk.

As he tensed at a particularly uncomfortable chakra burst, she ran a hand over a newly closed wound to soothe him. "… So, when Tsunade comes back into power, things will be okay again. I'm sure she will turn up once she's ready. But we need to get rid of Danzou first."

"I'll do it."

Sakura started, her healing chakra extinguished in her shock. "W-What?" she sputtered.

His gaze met hers, and the dark, vengeful light in his eyes told her just how serious he was. She almost shivered at its intensity. But as far as she knew, Sasuke was not connected with Danzou in any way, so why would Sasuke be so intent to kill Danzou?

"But why?"

He took his eyes off her. "I have my reasons."

She nodded as she finished off his last wound, allowing her hands to drop to her lap afterwards. "Well, I'm not going to complain if you want to kill Danzou off." And then she beamed. "So, when things go back to normal, you can come home, ne, Sasuke?"

His jaw twitched. "Perhaps."

"What do you mean, perhaps?" she asked incredulously. She moved away from the couch, to kneel in front of Sasuke, placing her hands on his knees. "You killed Itachi, didn't you? That part of your ambition was fulfilled years ago! What's keeping you out there?"

Sasuke shook his head, confusing her even further. What did he mean by shaking his head? That he had not fulfilled his ambition? Did that mean that Itachi was still alive? What the hell? The guy was dead. She had been present at that mission when that weird mask guy announced it. But then again, Pein had managed to revive the entirety of Konoha in one fell swoop, so reviving one of his own Akatsuki members shouldn't be a problem, right?

"He's alive?" she whispered, almost afraid to voice it out loud.

Sasuke did not answer, but that haunted look in his eyes was more evident now. Her eyes widened in comprehension. No wonder Sasuke was upset. He had spent so long chasing after his older brother, and when he thought that he had finally killed him, it turned out that he had not.

At the unsavory thought that this particular S-Class missing nin was running free, something nudged at the back of her mind, something which made her feel truly on edge, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Perhaps she was just feeling a little jittery because of the uncertainty of Sasuke's status with this new information.

"We could make Konoha aware of it, and let them take care of him," she suggested tentatively. "He's in the Bingo Book. You don't need to do this alone. We could-"

A firm hand on her shoulder interrupted her words, and then Sasuke shook his head, his eyes still not meeting hers. "Don't say anything to Konoha," he instructed quietly.

"But-" she protested.

"Don't, Sakura." His tone was uncompromising.

She watched him, concerned for his well-being. Past experiences had taught her that it was pointless to talk to Sasuke when it came to this topic, and it looked like that had not changed. When it came to Itachi, Sasuke seemed to have tunnel vision. Sighing inwardly, and hoping that Sasuke knew what he was doing and would keep himself safe while doing so, she nodded and stood up.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked, walking towards the kitchen.

There was a short silence, and then she heard, "Hn."

She smiled slightly. At least some things just never change. And that was a good thing, right? If Sasuke was like what he was before, then when he finished with this revenge business, he would definitely return to Konoha. He had no reason to stay away.

Naturally, Team 7 would be reconstituted when Tsunade wrestle back control of Konoha. Once that first hurdle was over, she'd have to persuade Itsuki to return to Konoha with her.

Then, her life would be complete.

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A/N: I hope you liked that. Please review if you could, thanks!

:elle6778:


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And here's the next instalment. Enjoy!

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**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 14**

The room felt colder than usual today, Sakura thought as she stared across the table at the ANBU Root. He was an unfamiliar one, so perhaps that was the reason for the ominous chills running up her spine at the way he occasionally glance up at her, while perusing the report silently. It did not help that he had some sort of weird doujutsu, which was currently activated, making his pupil and irises pitch black. It was really unnerving.

Then he took the vial from the surface of the table, lifting it to eye level and giving it a little shake.

Sakura knew what words were coming even before he opened his mouth.

"Haruno, you do realize that this amount is…" He eyed the vial of Shinjutama fragments critically, and then continued, "… insufficient."

Sakura nodded curtly. "I'm aware of that, ANBU-san. I've been ill a couple of weeks ago, and was unable to extract as much as I used to."

The ANBU Root nodded thoughtfully. "Where were you during this… illness?"

"Staying in the village near the Shinjutama cave. I was taken ill while working on it one day. I suspect it might be some sort of airborne virus. Some of the villagers were ill as well," she fabricated, hoping that her nerves were not showing through. Hoping that they would not send someone to check the villages.

The ANBU Root flipped through a file, pausing at a particular page. "I assume you were there with your lover?"

Sakura stilled. How did they know?

And then it hit her.

A while back, Itsuki had offered that particular alibi when she had been running away from the ANBU Root, after chasing a false trail to Tsunade. The ANBU Root on duty that day must have reported it, she realized with a grimace. She had not wanted to involve Itsuki in any of this, but clearly, it could not be helped now. When she got back, the first thing she had to do was to warn him to be more careful these days. And in doing so, she probably had to come clean with him.

"Haruno. Answer the question."

"Yes. I was with him. He was taking care of me," she told him.

"In his village."

Had she not said that earlier? "Yes," she replied stonily.

"I see." His eyes scanned over the file. "You've also requested for a transfer to this village."

She clenched her hands under the table, half dreading the answer. "I did."

"Your request is denied."

Sakura blinked, feeling a little numb as those words sank in. And then disappointment washed over her. She should not be too surprise, really. Still, she could not help but ask, "Why?"

"No reasons were given in your file, Haruno." He closed the file and stood up. "That will be all, then. Report back in four weeks."

Sakura nodded, outwardly a picture of obedience, even though inwardly she was bombarded by a tumult of emotions. "I will."

With that the ANBU Root turned and left the room, leaving Sakura to sag into her seat, her arms still resting on the table. Groaning softly, she allowed her head to flop forward onto her arms. That was both nerve-wracking and dejecting at the same time. She really hated the feeling of being so helpless when it came to Root. Still, it seemed that Root had bought her story about the illness. Which was fortunate.

She sighed heavily, wondering how she should go about telling Itsuki about Danzou's answer. He would be disappointed too, she knew. The thought of making him feel that way made her a little angry. What harm could it do to let her stay in the civilian village, instead of Yugakure? It was closer to the cave, and would save time. Maybe Danzou just rejected her request out of spite. Or more likely, he wanted to discourage her from getting involved with a civilian for the fear of distractions.

Huffing in annoyance, she stood up and left the room, quickly making her way to the guest wing of the Kazekage's residence. Once she arrived at her usual room in Suna, she went in and sat at the edge of the bed. The servants had laid out a stack of fresh towels at the foot of the bed, tempting her to take a shower, but she was reminded of something else that she had to do rather urgently.

When she had arrived yesterday, Gaara was unavailable to see her. She had not even heard him enter his dwelling last night, which meant that he had probably been held up at the office for something important. She still could not understand how he could go without sleep just like that, but he had told her once that he was used to it, from his Shukaku days. When the one-tailed bijuu had been trapped within him, sleeping meant allowing the beast free rein, and that was unacceptable. Now, with the bijuu extracted out by the Akatsuki, it was safe to allow himself to sleep, but he was still unused to it.

She hoped that she would be able to catch him sometime today. Time was short, and she could not afford to delay sending a message to Kakashi and Naruto any longer. Tsunade was now awake, so this would be the best time to inform them. In a few months, her shishou should be ready to lead the 'rogue' elements from Konoha, to wrest back the village from Danzou.

She could not wait for that day.

Yes, this would be the right time to ask Gaara to get a message to her teammates.

With that thought, she stood up and walked to the door. She encountered no one as she walked out along the richly decorated hallway to the main exit. Once she was there, two Suna guards nodded at her in greeting.

"Haruno-san."

She inclined her head in return. "Do you know where the Kazekage is?" she asked.

One of them gestured at a nearby dome-shaped building. "He should be in the briefing rooms."

"Thank you."

Without further ado, she made her way to said building, holding up a hand to shield her eyes from the glaring midday sun once she was out in the open. It was a solid sand structure, like all of the rest of the buildings here, constructed to withstand the harsh climate. There was a beauty in the way those buildings seemed to hug the ground, and the way all of them exhibited various shades of sand. But the plainness outside was deceptive, for most of the buildings were lavishly decorated inside.

When she reached the building, she greeted the two guards with an incline of her head. "May I see the Kazekage?"

"Is he expecting you?" one of them asked in return.

She shook her head, smiling slightly. "But it's just something quick."

"I suppose if he doesn't want to see you, he wouldn't allow you in," the other one commented with a wry grin. "Go on in."

Thanking them, Sakura stepped in and made her way along the narrow hallways until she reached the centre of the dome structure, where she was faced with doors laid out in a circular pattern, all identical except for the numbers carved onto the surface. They were doors to briefing rooms, she surmised. There was only one with a familiar Suna kunoichi standing outside, which told her that it was most likely the room Gaara was occupying.

"Sakura-san!" the kunoichi greeted cheerfully.

Grinning in return, she made her way there, stopping in front of the jounin. "Hi, Matsuri. Is Gaara busy?"

Matsuri glanced at the door. "He's taking a break from the mission briefings."

"Can I go in? I have something to discuss with him."

"Let's see, shall we?" Matsuri knocked on the door. "Kazekage-sama?"

"Yes?" came Gaara's curt response.

"Sakura-san wishes to see you."

There was a brief pause before Gaara answered, "Let her in."

Matsuri twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. "Go on."

"Thanks, Matsuri."

Casting a small smile at the Suna kunoichi, Sakura entered the room to see Gaara seated behind a desk, with a small pile of mission scroll to his left. The door clicked shut behind her, and she felt an odd flare of chakra. At her approach, he took the pile of scrolls off his desk, lowering them into a drawer. His caution almost made her smile, considering what she came here for.

"Sakura."

"Kazekage-sama," she greeted.

He raised a brow. "Surely there is no need for such formality, Sakura. We are alone."

"Okay, Gaara." She hesitated briefly before asking, "Is this room… secure?"

He raised a brow, and then responded, "You may speak freely."

She gave him an uncertain smile. Recalling how he had sent back those missing nins made her nervous, but this was her only chance of getting into contact with her teammates. She had to risk it. And besides, she did not really have to say much, right? Still, the whole thing made her anxious. Gaara was not stupid. He would suspect something was up, and it would not be hard to guess what it was. So what should she do? She did not have any other options.

Finally, she decided to just get to the point. "Can you get into contact with Kakashi or Naruto?"

The Kazekage's face did not change, but he stared at her intently, as if he was trying to see into her. She had to fight the urge to fidget. Because Gaara was still intimidating, no matter how well she had gotten to know him and his siblings over the years.

"Gaara?" she prompted softly. "This is really important."

He remained silent for a while more, and then answered her with a curt nod. "You have a message for them?"

The tension within her eased, and a relieved smile broke through.

"You thought I would turn you in?" he asked in that calm way of his.

Her smile turned sheepish. "Well, yeah." And then, in a more sober tone, she added, "You turned in those missing nins."

Gaara nodded, his eyes hardening. "They were careless enough to leave a trail here. I had no choice."

Understanding why he had done it now, she breathed out, "Oh. I didn't realize."

"What is it you wish to tell them?"

Should she just tell him the whole truth? She was tempted to. Gaara had no reason to side with Danzou, after all. It would be difficult to ask him to pass on a message otherwise, right? Besides, they were practically friends.

Taking a deep breath, she took the plunge. "I found Tsunade."

Gaara's eyes immediately widened. "Where?"

She shook her head quickly. "Best to keep that information to myself for the moment."

He did not say anything to that, but from the thoughtful look on his face, Sakura knew that he would not press for the information. Instead, he asked, "What do you want to tell them?"

"I'm not sure, really. I just want them to know about it."

"She is in danger as long as she is in an unsecured location," he told her gravely.

Sakura frowned. "I know. But she had been staying out there for a couple of years now."

Gaara sighed. "Kakashi and Naruto were planning on using a hidden underground section of Suna as a base once they located Tsunade."

"They were?"

She was surprised, but she should have expected it, really. Where else could they regroup without too much trouble? The thing was, wasn't Gaara risking a lot to help them? If this entire thing did not work, Suna would be viewed as an enemy by Konoha. It could not be an easy decision for Gaara to make, risking his own village like that. It was a testament to the sort of bond Naruto could forge with others, because it was clear that Gaara was only doing this to help Naruto.

"They didn't tell me," she added softly.

"You didn't need to know then. But now, you do."

She nodded. "So are you saying that it's best to get Tsunade here as soon as possible?"

"Aa." A thoughtful look crossed his face briefly. "There is a need to clear out the spies first, although this should not be done until just before her arrival."

Her lips parted in a shocked gasp. "What do you mean, spies? There are spies here?"

"There are always spies, Sakura," he told her drily.

Were there always spies? It had never occurred to her, but now that Gaara had mentioned it, it sounded like just the thing each village would do to each other, despite any alliance or treaty.

But did that mean that there were Konoha spies in Yugakure as well? What did that mean for her then? Surely they would have noticed her absences over the past few weeks. Damn it, she could be in real trouble already for all she knew. That new ANBU Root she had just reported to could be testing her or something. He definitely seemed like the type.

"Bring her here, Sakura."

Jolted out of her thoughts by Gaara's order, she shook her head. "Not yet."

His eyes narrowed in obvious displeasure. "Why?"

"She can't really travel yet."

Gaara blinked once. "I see."

"But as soon as she's able, I'll get her here."

"Disguise yourselves."

She almost rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Gaara."

Gaara opened a drawer, and rummaged through it before he found what he wanted. He took it out, eyeing it critically for a moment before he thrust the object at her. "Here. The guards recognize you, but they wouldn't recognize the disguised Godaime. Tell her to show it to them to gain entry."

She took the small stone with an engraving of Suna's symbol on it. There was also a small amount of chakra embedded within it, and she recognized it as Gaara's. "Thanks, I'll pass this on."

Gaara inclined his head. "You may go now."

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Sakura turned to leave, only to pause when she reached the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she remarked quietly, "What you're doing for us… I know you probably don't have to. But I'm glad you're helping. And thank you, for listening to me today."

There was a long silence before he spoke. "You are one of Naruto's important people, so I will not simply disregard you." A pause followed, before he continued in a softer voice, "I will not disappoint him."

Something warmed within her at his response. Naruto had always managed to affect people in the most profound ways. It made people want to work for him, to be on his side. And it struck her then, that her loud-mouth blond friend would definitely make a great Hokage someday.

"I'm sure he wouldn't be disappointed, Gaara."

"Hm."

Smiling slightly, Sakura let herself out of the briefing room.

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Seated on the couch in Sakura's home, Itachi stared at the opposite wall. The book hanging loosely in his hand went unread, as occupied as he was with his own thoughts.

While Sakura was giving her report to Konoha, he had encountered Sasuke once. The battle had been brief, and had ended up with Sasuke pinned against a boulder by his neck. The boy had understandably been angry at his defeat, but Itachi would have it no other way. Still, he regretted having to fight when they could, theoretically, mend their relationship to the point that they were able to interact like normal siblings.

Perhaps it was simply not meant to be.

Perhaps they were fated to be on opposing sides all their lives.

The notion was rather disheartening, Itachi thought as he sighed heavily.

At least Sasuke had not been injured enough to seek medical assistance this time. Itachi had taken great care not to injure his little brother too badly, knowing that if he did so, then Sasuke would come straight to Sakura. And that was something he truly wished to avoid. He did not wish to give Sasuke any more reason to get closer to Sakura.

Selfish, he knew. But Itachi wanted Sakura for himself. A small part of him, a part he usually suppressed, could not help but resent how he had to give up so many things already. He only wanted to keep Sakura for himself, even though it was for a short time.

And speaking of Sakura…

Itachi glanced up towards the door. He sensed her approach long before the door to her home opened, revealing the tired form of the pink-haired kunoichi. He assessed her body for injuries, and was relieved when he found none.

It took her a moment to realize that he was waiting for her. When her eyes lit up happily at the sight of him, he felt something warm swell within him.

"Itsuki!" she greeted, dropping her pack to rush across the room.

Itachi found himself flattened back into the couch when she landed on him, her legs on the sides of his hips. Chuckling slightly at her exuberant greeting, he wrapped his arms securely around her before meeting her lips for a kiss. Her warmth seeped into him, making him feel soothed and relaxed, the way it always had done.

When they finally pulled apart, Itachi gazed at her flushed face. "Welcome home, Sakura."

Grinning, she slid off him. "How long have you been waiting?"

"I just arrived this morning."

She went to close the door and retrieve her pack, gesturing for him to follow her into the bedroom. "Let's talk in there. I have to unpack."

Itachi went after her and sat on the floor cross-legged with his back against the bed, watching as she knelt in front of a chest of drawer. Reaching out, he ran his fingers down the back of her head, through her silky pink hair, removing a trapped leaf. She cast him a small smile over her shoulder before she reached down to open her pack. He continued to comb her hair with his fingers as she rummaged through the mess, shaking his head slightly at her disorganization.

"What are you doing, Sakura?" he asked, noticing how she was throwing packs of bandages and crumpled clothes to the side.

"Looking for something," she muttered.

He raised a brow, but decided not to ask further. She would tell him when she was ready.

After a while, she let out a triumphant exclamation, and swiveled around to face him. "Here," she said, thrusting a package towards him. "Something I picked up yesterday."

Itachi caught the package before it hit his chest, glancing down at it with no small amount of surprise. It was wrapped in blue and green striped paper, with nothing else adorning it, but it was clearly a present. This was unexpected, but truly sweet of her.

"I hope you like it," she said, turning back to the chest of drawers.

The gift still held in his hands, Itachi stared at her back. She did not seem to want to meet his eyes, choosing instead to focus on unpacking. He finally realized the reason for it when he caught sight of her blushing cheeks when she turned a little. Sakura was… embarrassed? The notion made his lips quirk in amusement. Why she even thought to react in such a manner was beyond him. Surely she did not think that he would reject her gift?

"Thank you," he told her quietly.

She stilled for a moment, and then recommenced her unpacking. A light chuckle left her, just before she said, "You haven't even opened it yet."

"It is the gesture that matters, Sakura," he pointed out.

She glanced over her shoulder, giving him a soft smile. "It is, isn't it?" she murmured.

Placing the package carefully to one side, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, nuzzling the back of her neck as he did so. "You should know that I would not reject anything from you."

"I should, shouldn't I?" she said, in an almost wistful tone.

Not for the first time, it struck him that her reaction was reminiscent of someone who had been through some form of rejection. And now, with his memories intact, combined with her tales of her past, he could guess who it was that had hurt her. The notion of his brother foolishly rejecting this woman and thus hurting her, infuriated him. But Itachi also knew that if Sasuke had not done so, she would not be here in his arms at this moment in time.

Releasing her, he picked up the package and slowly peeled the wrapping open, curious as to what she had gifted him with. There was a leather pouch within and Itachi carefully shook out its contents. It was a leather necklace, with a small pendant carved out of some heavy metal. In the centre of the metal was a sliver of a familiar gemstone. It was the Shinjutama, if he guessed correctly. Intrigued by it, he lifted it by the leather necklace, allowing the pendant to swing in front of his eyes. The workmanship was intricate, but obviously masculine.

"I like it," he told her.

She grinned over her shoulders at him, her earlier wistfulness now gone. "Good. Notice the Shinjutama fragment?"

"Yes." Though he did not sense the power from this one like he did with the large gemstone in the cave and the one in the village.

"I had a spare and thought it would look nice, so I got the vendor to embed it into the pendant. Just to make it a little different, you know."

"Hm." He studied the patterns adorning the pendant. She must have acquired this from a travelling vendor, for Konoha was not known for such craftsmanship. "Does the carving mean anything?"

"Funny you should mention it." Finishing with her unpacking, she stood up. "I didn't know if I want to believe it, but the seller said it represents honor and family."

Itachi stilled, staring at it. How ironic, he thought, his lips twisting mirthlessly. Sakura probably would not have gotten one with a more appropriate meaning if she had tried.

"So, have you eaten?"

Itachi shook his head.

"Me neither. Let's go to the kitchen. Hopefully, there's something edible in the fridge."

Refraining from commenting on her domestic skills, he followed her silently, watching as she inspected the contents of the fridge. There was not much inside, from what he could see. The kunoichi had been too busy lately for such domestic tasks.

"I got some bad news, I'm afraid," she murmured as she took out some not-so-fresh produce from the fridge.

Her subdued tone was enough of a hint. "You're not allowed to move to the village," he supplied tonelessly, trying to ignore the stab of disappointment within his chest. He had hoped to spend more time with her. But it seemed that it was not meant to be.

She blinked up at him, astonishment written on her features. "How did you know?"

"Your expression gave it away," he told her, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table.

She winced. "Am I so easy to read?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he admitted as he sat down to watch her.

He caught her troubled expression just before she turned away from him to face the worktop counter, slicing vegetables and placing them in the pot in an almost automatic manner. He wondered what she was thinking. If he had to guess, he would say that it had something to do with Konoha. Her whole life seemed to be revolving around it these days, but he could understand why that was the case. She was the Godaime's apprentice, after all, and that came with a large involvement with the politics. Still, he wondered if she was truly aware of the danger she was putting herself in.

She must, to some degree, he thought as he watched her place the pot with vegetables on the stove before switching the fire on. Still, that was only an assumption on his part. He could be wrong about what could be troubling her at this moment.

What he was not wrong about, however, was the increasing number of times he had sensed shinobi chakra in the past week. He had even noticed that one of them had been moving towards Yugakure in the early hours of this morning, just as he arrived at Sakura's house. Knowing that it was likely that those shinobi was setting up to spy on Sakura, Itachi had quickly set up a genjutsu barrier once he was inside. Those spies would be fooled into thinking that there was nothing suspicious going on in this house.

He doubted that the kunoichi currently standing at the stove was aware that she was being watched, because she did not even realize that she had stepped through his barrier. And considering that what she was up to could be classified as treason, in addition to the increased presence of Konoha spies, Itachi knew that Sakura was in danger of being found out. And it was up to him to warn her of the danger, without throwing suspicion on his own identity. The sooner he did it, the better. With his genjutsu barrier shielding them, now would be the best time.

"Sakura."

She spun to look at him over her shoulders, her shoulder-length pink hair bobbing as she did so. Casting him an absent smile, which told him that her mind was elsewhere, she asked, "What is it, Itsuki?"

He stood up, and then walked towards her until her back was pressed flush against him. Eyeing the pot of food she was stirring, he asked, "What are you cooking?"

"Miso."

He blinked at the contents of the pot. "That dish usually does not contain carrots and eggplants," he pointed out.

She tilted her head towards him and scowled. "That doesn't mean it's not going to taste nice," she defended tartly.

"Hm," he conceded, deciding not to comment further, lest he offended her.

For a while, he simply stood there with his hands sliding up and down her waist, still wondering how he should broach the subject. It was frustrating to say the least, because he had to be so careful of his words. Finally, he arrived at a possible solution.

"Have you been getting yourself into trouble again, Sakura?"

She stilled momentarily, and then resumed the stirring without looking at him. "Are you scolding me or something?"

He smirked at her transparent attempt at diversion, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I'm only asking because I saw some of your Konoha nins around."

The spoon clanged against the pot as she dropped it, spinning fully to face him. "You saw Konoha nins?" she cried out in alarm.

Please that he finally had her full attention, he nodded. "Several of them, around Yugakure and at the cave. They look just like the ones back at the cave last year."

Sakura's eyes rounded in horror. "W-When did you see them?"

"The last one was yesterday," he lied smoothly.

A frightened look came over her and she fell silent, the miso soup on the stove all but forgotten. Itachi slid around her, keeping one hand on her waist while the other reached out to switch the fire off. Food would not be on Sakura's mind for a while, he knew. She had to come to terms with how his revelation would affect her current quest.

Then, he led her to the couch and pulled her down to sit beside him. Tilted her chin so that she faced him, he asked, "What is the matter, Sakura?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing," she replied absently, her eyes flicking away from his.

"Something is clearly bothering you. And it is to do with those Konoha nins," he pressed, needing to know what she was planning to do with the information he had given her. "Tell me."

Expelling a heavy sigh, she glanced back at him. Her emerald orbs were clouded with worry as she told him, "I think it's quite obvious that those Root nins and I don't exactly get along. And from what you've just said, I think they might be keeping tabs on me."

"Do you have anything to fear from them?"

She grimaced, and then shook her head jerkily, once again not meeting his eyes.

Wondering just how a kunoichi could have made it to jounin level with such an inability to act convincingly, Itachi hid his exasperation. Her anxiety was so obvious that one could not miss it. At least now she knew that she had to be more careful. He had no doubt that Danzou's Root would show no mercy should they discover what Sakura was up to.

Deciding that a change in topic was necessary, he announced, "I'll continue making dinner."

Startled out of her thoughts, she darted a grateful look at him before reaching out to wrap both her arms around him. Itachi sighed inwardly as he reciprocated her embrace, but he could not ignore just how worried he was about her. The urge to watch over her was strong, but if he did that, then he would only expose himself to the Root operatives spying on her.

Hoping that his warning was enough to ensure that she minded her actions more carefully, he shifted until his lips found hers. She responded immediately, eagerly, as she always had done. It did not take long for all other thoughts to depart from his mind except for those involving him, Sakura and some surface they could use.

Perhaps dinner could wait.

For now, he would indulge in her.

000

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000

When Sakura woke up in the morning, the first thing that came to mind was the promise she had made to herself last night before she fell asleep curled up against Itsuki on the bed.

She would tell him the truth.

Rolling to her side, she propped her head up on one arm to study his profile. He seemed to be fast asleep, his breathing deep and even, causing his bare chest to rise and fall. Her lips curled onto a smile when her eyes landed on the black leather necklace with its pendant hanging to one side of his neck.

She had asked the vendor to embed the Shinjutama on a whim, but she had to admit that it made the pendant look better. It seemed important, somehow, to let him wear a part of it. Maybe it was because it was something she had worked on, and it was something that had brought them together. Because without the Shinjutama, she would not be in Spring Country in the first place. And without the Shinjutama, Itsuki would not have any reason to watch over her.

"You're staring, Sakura."

She jumped slightly at Itsuki's unexpected voice. "Don't scare me like that!" she snapped. "I thought you were sleeping."

His eyes peeled open to regard her with an unmistakable glint of amusement. "I was."

She sat straight up to huff jokingly, crossing her arms across her camisole-clad chest. "How did you know I was staring then?"

An elegant brow quirked upwards. "Am I not allowed my secrets, Sakura?"

The mere mention of secrets sobered her immediately. And her expression must have displayed the change because Itsuki pushed himself up into a sitting position, facing her with an enquiring look. It was almost scary just how attuned he was with her moods.

"Is something the matter?" he asked quietly.

She bit lips as she wondered how she should broach this subject. Itsuki was watching her expectantly, not pushing her to hurry, but was waiting, all the same. She wondered if it was wise, revealing the truth, but she did not want to keep secrets from him anymore. Besides, he needed to know this, for his own safety.

"I have something to tell you," she finally said.

Itsuki raised a brow in question.

Feeling a little nervous about it, but knowing that she could trust him, she told him, "Remember what I told you about Konoha and the Godaime?"

He nodded. "She is missing."

"She's not missing anymore."

"Hm."

His expression did not change, and it made her wonder how he could always be so calm and composed all the time. It made her almost jealous. If she could maintain that sort of composure, no one would be able to tell that she was nervous at all. Hell, come to think of it, Itsuki probably would make a better shinobi than her, based on this trait alone.

Deciding to continue, she told him, "And you're right. She wasn't kidnapped or anything like that. She was in hiding." She took a deep breath. "I didn't know all this until you introduced me to Rin. Rin is a Konoha kunoichi, and she was helping to heal the Godaime. And now, I'm helping as well. And that's why I have been busy lately."

"Rin," he prompted.

She nodded. "Yes. Rin. The villager."

"I see," he murmured.

"I bet the current Hokage is also looking for the Godaime. So, what I'm trying to say is that… those shinobi you saw? If they saw me helping her…"

His tone was hard when he said, "You will be viewed as a traitor."

Sakura nodded grimly. "Also, they know about us. So, they might come after you, to ask you questions."

Itsuki's lips tightened in obvious displeasure. "Sakura, you should lay low for a while."

"But I can't! She needs me now."

"You being captured and interrogated will not help anyone, Sakura."

She groaned. "I know."

The way he regarded her was filled with exasperation, his concern unmistakable. At that very moment, she felt lucky that she had someone like him by her side. He had not judged her or anything like that, nor was he a doormat. He was a nice balance of rock solid support and quiet strength. However, this time, she did not know how she could possibly follow his advice.

"Just be more… vigilant, Sakura," he insisted. "That's all I ask."

She nodded. Then, leaning towards him to envelop him in a hug, she sighed heavily against his shoulders. "Thanks for caring, Itsuki," she murmured, her words muffled by his skin.

They spend the rest of the morning eating a leisurely breakfast, taking time to appreciate each other. She had missed this so much and she hoped that Tsunade would soon be well enough that they resolved things quickly with Konoha. Because once they had done that, she could move ahead with her personal life. With Itsuki in it.

It was noon when they finally left Yugakure, making their way through the forest towards the villages. Itsuki was heading back to his village while she was going to see Tsunade. It was nice to be honest with Itsuki about what she was up to, because now, she could just tell him anything without having to be so careful about what she said. In fact, she did not know why she had not told him about the entire situation with Tsunade earlier.

She resolved, from now on, that she would not keep secrets from him. What was a relationship without honestly, after all? They had to trust each other, right?

When they arrived to the area close to the cave, both of them halted. From this point onwards, their paths diverged, one to the left and one to the right.

"How long will you be there?" Itsuki asked.

"A day at the most, I think. Tsunade's treatment is not so intensive anymore."

Itsuki nodded. "Then meet me at the cave tomorrow night, once you've completed your task with your shishou."

Surprised, her brow arched. "The cave? Why?"

He reached out, running the back of his hands down her cheek in a careful caress, sending shivers down her spine. And when he spoke, his voice was low. "You'll see."

Finding it hard to refuse, she nodded in agreement. "I'll be there around eight, then."

Itsuki searched her face, and then dipped down to plant a thorough kiss on her lips. She smiled against him, her arms going around his larger form to squeeze him tightly before releasing him. The thought that she would be seeing him tomorrow night made her feel a little light and heady, and curiously she wondered what he had planned.

"Remember what I said, Sakura," he told her quietly.

Knowing that he was referring to his earlier advice, she nodded gravely. She had every intention of being careful, now that he had mentioned that he saw Root in the area.

Waving, she watched as Itsuki walked away from the area, leaving her to walk in the opposite direction. Mindful of Itsuki's words, she kept her senses on her surroundings, making sure that she was not being followed. And as far as she could tell, there was no one close by. Still, knowing that extra precaution would not hurt, she created two clones, sending them in opposite directions to lay false trails before she performed a quick transformation technique, altering her appearance to a nondescript girl with plain brown hair and brown eyes. Only then did she move towards the other village.

It did not take her long to reach the invisible barrier of the village. As always, it did not stop her when she walked through it, feeling the familiar tingle against her skin. She dropped the henge the moment she broke out of the barrier zone, not wishing to alarm the villagers. They were used to her being there by now, but they certainly would not recognize her if she held the appearance of a girl with brown hair and brown eyes.

She greeted several villagers on the way before she reached the hut where Shizune and Tsunade stayed. Rapping on the door in a particular pattern, she waited until Shizune opened the door to let her in.

"Ah, just in time, Sakura."

Sakura's brows rose as she walked in. "What? Why?"

Rin poked her head out of Tsunade's bedroom. "Tsunade-sama is getting out of bed today."

"She is?" Eyes wide, Sakura went to the room to find Tsunade already sitting up at the edge of the bed. Her keen medic eyes scanned her shishou's form. To her relief, she noted that the blonde's complexion was much healthier than before and she no longer looked so weary.

"I'm getting up today, no matter what all of you say," the Godaime announced stubbornly, trying to push herself off the bed.

Alarmed at the thought that Tsunade might over-exert and hurt herself, Sakura was about to rush forward. But before she could do so, Shizune was already standing before the Godaime, holding her elbows.

Sakura watched, holding her breath as Shizune helped the yukata-clad Tsunade to her feet. The blonde woman wobbled slightly, and then straightened to her full height, before taking an unsteady step forward. Sakura's anxiety left her with a loud exhale of breath as her eyes followed her shishou's increasingly more confident movements.

"There you go, Tsunade-sama."

"About time," came the familiar grumble as Sakura grinned affectionately.

The Godaime Hokage was walking gingerly up and down the small bedroom, her movements stiff and jerky, as if she was relearning how to walk. Her muscles had atrophied over the long period of being bedridden, and Sakura knew that it would take time before Tsunade got back her previous physical state, even with the help of massive amounts of regenerative jutsu.

"You need to take it slow, Shishou," she advised, stepping towards the elderly woman in the attempt to help her walk.

Scowling at Sakura, causing the wrinkles on her face to shift, she snapped, "I know. I taught you all this, remember?"

Sakura shook her head in exasperation, happy to see that Tsunade was truly back. She was probably grumpy because she did not have enough strength to execute and maintain her appearance jutsu yet. She had definitely grumbled about it enough.

"Please don't undo our work, Hokage-sama," Rin cautioned respectfully, her attitude towards Tsunade vastly more subdued than hers or Shizune's.

Tsunade merely grunted darkly.

Shizune turned to her. "How are things going your end?"

Knowing what Shizune was actually asking, Sakura replied, "I asked Gaara to pass the message on, but I haven't heard anything back from them. I wouldn't worry, though. It has only been less than a week. Actually, I doubt they will even try to get into contact with me."

Tsunade nodded. "Good. It wouldn't do for them to come here. Too risky."

"Yeah. I'm guessing that by now, Kakashi and Naruto already know that you're okay. They are probably making their way to Suna, as we speak."

"So soon?" Shizune looked concerned.

Sakura nodded. "Gaara has a point. It's not really secure here. The two of you should make your way to Suna as soon as possible." She turned to Rin then, wondering what would happen to the other medic nin. "Are you coming with us?"

Rin glanced at the Godaime, who arched a brow at her. "You're coming with us, Rin. We'll probably need all the medic we could find."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"I doubt we can just turn up at Suna's gates just like that," Shizune pointed out drily.

Sakura reached into her pouch and withdrew the stone Gaara had given her. "Take this and present it at the gates. But I need to inform Gaara beforehand. He needs to deal with the spies before you get there."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully as she took the stone. Then she asked, "How are you planning on informing the Kazekage of our arrival?"

Sakura shrugged. "Haven't thought that far yet. I guess I'll just go to Suna and tell him."

"There's a better way."

She frowned, confused. "How?"

Tsunade smiled slightly. "Something I've been meaning to teach you, but haven't had the chance. This is as good time as any, I guess."

Sakura stared at her shishou, still not knowing what to expect. "Eh? Another jutsu?"

"A summoning jutsu."

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh." And then she beamed. "That would be great, shishou!" She would learn how to summon Katsuyu, Sakura thought excitedly. "When?"

Honey-colored eyes twinkling, Tsunade teased, "I thought I'm supposed to take it easy."

Sakura sagged slightly. What was she thinking? She really should not hassle her shishou in the state she was in, no matter how much she wanted to learn the new jutsu. It was one thing that Tsunade had promised to teach her for some time now, but she had never found a free slot in her days as a Hokage to do so.

"Don't make that face, Sakura. You'll get _more _wrinkles on your forehead and I'll be forced to teach you my particular transformation technique." The blonde grimaced then, raising a hand to trace the lines at the corner of her eyes with distaste.

Sakura did not know whether she should be offended at the forehead wrinkle comment or to laugh at her shishou's obvious annoyance with her current appearance. Honestly, at times like this, and at those times when Tsunade was inebriated with sake, she found it hard to believe that she was the Hokage of Konoha.

"Tch, Tsunade-sama. Leave Sakura alone," Shizune chided. "And you know it is fine to teach her the summoning technique now. There's no physical exertion involved, only chakra. And you have plenty of chakra after all that rest."

"Hmph," Tsunade huffed, but there was a quirk at the corner of her lips as she turned to her. "So, Sakura. Are you ready?"

Sakura immediately perked up. "Now, shishou?"

"When else?"

"Let's do it, then!" she enthused.

Tsunade only shook her head, chuckling slightly at her exuberant reaction, before she slowly made her way outside. "Shizune, come and cast a genjutsu around the area. Don't want to scare the civilians away now, do we?"

Shizune nodded, and proceeded to leave the small hut.

Anticipation coursing through her, Sakura followed them with a wide grin on her face.

000

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000

Sakura arrived at the cave early, and half past seven, but Itachi had already prepared everything. Greeting her with their customary kiss and hug, he then led her into the cave.

He did not know what to expect, but judging from Sakura's expression, it was worth it. It taken a little bit of organization and preparation, something he had willingly undertaken. Besides, both of them had been so caught up with other things recently that they had not truly spent much time together, and he wanted to do something different.

He watched as she left his side. Her eyes were wide as she stepped closer to the straw mat he had set next to the Shinjutama. On the mat, he had arranged some platters of onigiri, filled with umeboshi, next to a tray of grilled eel, a flask of soup and a pot of green tea to one side. There was also a small packet of different bite-sized dango there as well, right beside the two tea cups he had set out. All of the items were illuminated by a small fire nearby. It was a simple meal, one which probably did not warrant the dumbstruck look on Sakura's face.

"Itsuki, you…" she broke off, flashing him a stunned look.

A little discomfited by her reaction, he inclined his head at the mat. "Sit down."

She obeyed, her eyes still running over the plates of food. "This is… too much."

Sitting down opposite her, he passed her a small wooden bowl and chopsticks. "I had intended to take you out for a meal. But you seem busy lately, so I thought this would be more appropriate."

Much to his alarm, her chin wobbled slightly as she continued to stare at him. "Itsuki… I don't know what to say."

More discomfited now, he ordered briskly, "Eat, Sakura."

Slowly, she dug into the food, closing her eyes in a clear expression of delight as she sipped the soup. Once that was done, she took an onigiri and began to chew on it. Smiling slightly, he reached out for a stick of dango and began to work through the sweet, sticky dessert.

Finally, she paused long enough to look up at him. "This onigiri is very good. Where did you get it from?"

"I made it."

She blinked, glancing down at the last mouthful of umeboshi onigiri. "They taste just like the ones we get back in Konoha."

Itachi kept his expression bland, even though he tensed inwardly, chiding himself for his mistake. Now that she had mentioned it, it occurred to him that he should have imitated the Spring Country's style of cooking. Even though it was just rice ball with pickled plum and seaweed, there were still some obvious differences in the way the seaweed was wrapped around the rice, and the type of filling used. Spring Country usually made their rice balls with salted fish filling, while Fire Country was more known for its umeboshi onigiri.

"Does that mean you like it?" he asked, hoping to divert the subject.

She nodded enthusiastically as she ate the last mouthful. "How did you know it's my favorite?" she asked after swallowing.

"You may have mentioned it."

Reaching for the tray of eel and rice, she paused when she caught sight of his empty stick of bamboo. "Is that all you're going to eat?"

"I like sweets," he told her simply.

She grinned. "You know, you don't strike me as the type."

"What _type_ do I strike you as then?" he returned, bemused.

Grin widening in the way that made him want to haul her to his lap, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "The type that likes plain rice and tea," she finally declared.

He raised a brow, the corner of his lips lifting. "That seems… bland. Your view of me is rather skewed, I'm afraid."

She chuckled. "It's just that, you _look_ so serious all the time. You barely laugh, as it is. The only way I can tell if you're smiling or not is to look at that little wrinkle at the corner of your left eye."

Wrinkle? He would be offended if he was a more sensitive man. In return, he gave her a narrowed-eye regard, before saying in a dry tone, "If one was to match your appearance with your food preference, one would say that you like nothing but sticks of colorful dango and trays of mochi."

Setting down her half-eaten eel, she scrambled towards him until he had caught her by the waist. Grinning cheekily as she settled on his lap, she remarked, "Is that your way of saying that I'm sweet, Itsuki?"

He almost let out a snort, but it came out as a small huff. "You're not sweet."

She reared back, looking genuinely offended. "You-"

"You're not sweet," he interjected firmly before her temper could get the better of her. "You're… tart, if one was to compare your personality with… tastes."

Her brows twitched as she glared at him. "That doesn't sound flattering at all."

"Strong, with a sharp bite…" He paused, reaching up to run his fingers down one side of her face. "Something that makes one sit up and take notice. And sometimes, quite addictive."

This time, it was her lips that twitched, while the expression in her eyes softened.

Playing with her bottom lips with his thumb, he asked mildly, "Is that a more acceptable definition?"

A chuckle burst from her then, as she swatted his hand away from her mouth. "You're terrible, you know that?"

Pushing herself off his lap, she retrieved the grilled eel to continue eating. She did not seem to be in a hurry at all, he noticed, as she finished off that platter to move on to the sweets. And when she was done with that, she simply gestured for him to follow her outside, bringing the tea with her. Her mood today was in direct contradiction to her usual harried state these days. Instead of her frantic rushing, she was taking her time.

"Do you not have to perform the extraction?" he asked, curious of her strangely relaxed mood today. Usually, she barely had time to eat.

"I just want to spend some time with you today," she admitted, casting him a shy smile. "Besides, I've collected some spare, which I haven't handed in to Konoha yet. I'll give those to them if it looks as if I couldn't extract enough."

"Hm."

Turning away from him to look up into the sky, she sighed softly. He could not help but wonder if she instinctively knew that their days together were numbered. Because the notion was hovering over him like an ominous cloud all the time.

Not for the first time, he wondered if he should simply tell her the truth. After all, she had taken the first step, displaying her trust in him by revealing her plans. Perhaps she would be more accepting of the truth that he feared. Or perhaps she would stare at him with condemnation written on her face once she realized his true identity. It was the latter that dominated, which in turn, prevent him from revealing the truth to her. He wished to steal as much time as possible with her before such a day arrived.

Surely that was not too much to ask.

000

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000

"One more week should do it," Shizune murmured as she withdrew her hands.

"Stop fussing like an old woman, Shizune!" Tsunade snapped irritably. "I'm fine."

Sakura grinned as she watched Tsunade sit up and then promptly get to her feet, as if she could not stand to be in the bed any longer. Scowling, the Godaime raked a hand through her grey-blonde hair impatiently as she strode across the room towards the door, her steps much steadier than several days ago. Her grin dying down to a small smile, Sakura followed her out of the room.

Tsunade was in the kitchen, setting a kettle to boil as she muttered impatiently, "One more week."

Sitting down at the kitchen table opposite the stove, Sakura told her, "You know it's important."

The Godaime snorted. "I can leave now."

"But your chakra control is not quite there yet," Shizune pointed out. "We're not risking it."

Tsunade sighed as she poured boiling water into the teapot. "That's just for the summoning."

Shizune shook her head in resignation. "Sakura, keep an eye on her while I go get us some food."

"Okay."

"It's just the summoning," Tsunade insisted, clearly annoyed at being watched over like an invalid.

Sakura grimaced as she recalled what had happened several days ago when Tsunade had passed on the summoning technique to her. No one really knew why, but Tsunade's ability to summon seemed a little off. She remembered just how alarmed she had been when one medium sized slug turned up, with half of its body missing. That single disastrous summon had been enough for Tsunade to quit her demonstration. Her shishou simply gave her verbal instructions after that.

Summoning was difficult. She had not realized just how difficult it was until she tried to do it. Naruto and Kakashi made it look so easy that she did not think she would have much of a problem at all, considering her better-than-average chakra control. And summoning was all to do with chakra, right?

Yeah, chakra control played a _part_ in summoning, but it was clearly not the main part. The part which she was lacking was the _quantity_ of chakra. Now, whilst she had the control, she did not quite have enough chakra to summon more than a small slug the length of her arm, let alone a battle-ready slug like Katsuyu.

She sighed in disappointment.

"Not stressing about the summoning again, are you?"

Sakura's head snapped up to find Tsunade watching her assessingly from her seat at the kitchen table, bringing a cup of steaming tea to her lips. Grimacing, she muttered, "Maybe."

Tsunade's cup hit the table with a small thud. "Well, you just need to work harder on it."

Sitting down at the table, Sakura buried her hands in her hair in frustration. "How?"

"Stamina training."

Sakura raised her head to blink at her shishou. "Huh?"

Tsunade gave her an impatient look. "You can summon well enough to get a message sent here, so that's fine for now. Later, if you want the slug summons to help you in battle, all you have to do is to make sure you can call forth enough chakra to summon a stronger slug."

"I know that, shishou, but how?" she asked, frustrated.

"Training. The more stamina you have, the larger amount of chakra you will have." Tsunade raised a brow at her. "Your performance a few days ago was enough to tell me that your chakra level is so low that it is embarrassing. You haven't been training much lately, have you?"

Sakura winced at her shishou's disapproving look. Tsunade was right. She did not remember the last time she had done any training. And she knew that she should have. The Yugakure shinobi probably wouldn't mind if she used their training grounds. They would probably even offer to spar with her, as friendly as they were.

"I need you to start training properly again, Sakura," Tsunade told her firmly. "You'll need it, the way things are going."

Understanding what her shishou was getting at, she nodded. "I will, shishou. I'll make sure I'm ready to fight."

"Good." Tsunade glanced at the door, where Shizune was returning with packets of food. "Finally. Did you get any sake?"

Shizune gave her a baleful look, to which Tsunade waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Alright, alright. No sake until I'm well enough to lead a takeover."

Setting the packets of food down on the table, Shizune looked at her. "Joining us?"

Her shishou's words still ringing clear in her mind, Sakura shook her head and stood up. "Maybe some other day. I have… things to do now, so I'd better make a move."

Tsunade nodded, giving her a knowing look. "Be careful out there, Sakura."

"I will." Giving her shishou smile, she said, "Thanks."

Waving at Shizune, she left the hut and made a beeline for the village gates. It was growing darker now, signaling the approach of night, but if she moved fast, she should be back in Yugakure by midnight or shortly afterwards.

She paused just before she exited the barrier around the village. As per usual these days, even before she stepped out of the relative safety of the village, Sakura expanded her senses to see if she was being watched. And once again, she detected nothing.

More than two weeks had passed since Itsuki told her about the ANBU Root, but try as she might, she could not sense them. They were either hiding their chakra really well, or they were simply not there. But if they were not there, then why would Itsuki tell her that they were? It did not make sense. No, she trusted Itsuki, and if he said they were there, it meant that they were there, somewhere. If only she could tell where those Root were hiding.

She hissed loudly in frustration as she made her way out of the village. Gathering chakra to her feet, she sped through the greenery, intent on reaching Yugakure as fast as she could. She would make sure she had a good night's rest, and then wake up in time to put in an hour or two worth of training before she started working on the Shinjutama again.

The Shinjutama, she thought, her brows furrowing as an idea occurred to her. The last major thing which she had learnt about its properties was that it could store chakra, if utilized by one with Shinju blood. If that was the case, she should, theoretically, be able to use it to increase the amount of chakra available to her at one time, say, by embedding the fragments in her body. That might give her enough instant chakra to summon a stronger slug.

She shivered slightly at the thought, disliking the idea of inserting something foreign into her body in such a manner. There was something quite distasteful about the notion, maybe because then she would be relying on something else for strength, and not herself.

It was kind of like what Naruto had done in the past with Kyuubi, and they all knew how well that had turned out. She could still remember her blond friend's stricken face when he realized that she had been hurt when he had allowed the kyuubi to take over during his fight with Orochimaru three years ago. And since then, Naruto had vowed not to use it again.

What she was contemplating was also kind of like Sasuke with the cursed seal. It was clear that as well as granting power, once activated, the seal also caused him to be more rash and more violent. But it looked like Sasuke had gotten lucky somehow, because she did not recall seeing those dark marks on his neck the last time they had met. She really had to ask him what had happened to it, but of course that did not mean that she would receive an answer. Sasuke had always been tight-lipped.

How fitting would it be if she followed the examples of her teammates and took the Shinjutama fragments into herself, she thought with a wry smile. Still, she knew better, because everything came at a price. And she was certain that the Shinjutama was not any different.

Suddenly, without any warning, a certain prickly feeling at the back of her neck jolted her out of her musings, alerting her that something was not quite right out there.

Freezing instantly, Sakura darted her eyes around, her heart pounding as she scanned the area for danger. She was only about an hour or so away from Yugakure, so who was it that was brave enough to venture so close to a shinobi village, even if it was one as weak as Yugakure? Quite a number, but most had no reason to venture so far west except one.

She gulped when the answer came to her.

Konoha.

The moment the notion entered her mind, dark blurs appeared seemingly from all directions, all making their way towards her. Even though her entire body screamed for her to run, Sakura found herself unable to move. So she remained frozen to the spot, staring forward until four figures materialized in front of her widened eyes. The distinct design of the tanto strapped to their backs was enough of a confirmation of their identity, if not for the customary ANBU Root attire.

It took her only an instant to comprehend the reason for their presence. And another second later, the squad leader stepped forward to utter the words she dreaded to hear.

"Haruno Sakura. You're under arrest for treason."

000

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000

A/N: Okay, that's it for this chapter. Hope you liked it. Please review, as always. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is the longest one of the story, so far, so you might want to get comfortable before you start, :P.

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 15**

"Haruno Sakura. You're under arrest for treason."

Her mind froze over so fast that for the next few seconds, she could only stare at the blue-haired man facing her. It was what she was afraid of. Somehow or other, they had found out _something_. Precisely what they suspected her of doing was unclear, but she had a good idea what it was. Now, more importantly, she knew that she had to come up with something to throw them off the scent fast. Or this whole thing would be over.

Finally, she managed to choke out, "Treason? What treason?"

"You are hiding the Godaime."

Sakura willed herself not to react, but she knew deep inside that she was not that good of an actress. She could only hope that for once, her expression did not betray her. "What are you talking about? The Godaime has been missing for years. I have nothing to do with it."

The Root stepped up close to her. Too close, her panicked mind yelled. But as much as she wanted to scramble backwards, she did not give in to the urge. Instead, she planted her feet firmly onto the ground. She had to stall them, until she came up with a feasible solution to this crazy situation she had just found herself in.

The Root pulled down his mask, staring at her with an eerily blank expression as he told her, "Do not lie, Haruno. Where is the Godaime?"

"I'm not lying!" she insisted. "What's wrong with you?"

The hand that clamped around her neck appeared so suddenly that she did not even have a chance to drag in a single breath. Mouth falling open in a gasp, she could only stare at the Root, terrified of what he was planning to do with her. Common sense told her that they would not kill her, since they were after information. They would keep her alive, and then torture her.

A choked sound escaped her constricted throat as the Root tightened his grip threateningly. His icy grey eyes bored into hers as he intoned, "You're being foolish. Cooperate and you will suffer less."

"L-Let m…me… go!" she managed to rasp, digging her fingers into the gloved hand around her neck. Much to her bewilderment, even when she infused chakra into her fingers, the Root did not release her. His glove must have some sort of protective properties. Black spot began to swim in her vision, but he did not relent, even as she struggled desperately.

"You will be interrogated," he announced.

Alarms blared in her mind. She was not ignorant of the less-than-pleasant aspect of interrogation. After all, she had grown up in a shinobi village, and although she had not had personal experience of such things, the stories were frightening enough that it would discourage anyone from putting themselves at risk of interrogation. It was definitely beginning to look as if she might be subjected to one, if she did not divulge Tsunade's location soon.

Her eyes hardened.

The hell she was going to tell them anything. She would rather die under torture than to let them kill the single hope Konoha had to return to the days of relative peace. She would rather die than betray her shishou and her teammates and the rest of Konoha.

Anger fueling her, she spat at him.

The blue-haired Root reared back, more surprised than anything else. She felt a momentary surge of satisfaction at her success in distracting him when he released her abruptly. The moment her feet touched the ground, she sprinted off. Their chakra flared behind her instantly, telling her that they were giving chase.

She should have known that she could not run very far. They caught up with her moments later, all four of them surrounding her. It was stupid to even contemplate running away. She only had two choices; surrender or fight. If she surrendered, it would be over pretty soon. And if she fought, there was a _slight_ chance that she might make an escape.

Her eyes narrowed as she made up her mind.

The four ANBU Roots watched intently as she dragged her black gloves on.

"You may want to rethink your decision, Haruno," the blue-haired Root cautioned mildly. "Even if you manage to escape, we know where to find you."

"How?" she snapped. "How do you know?"

He raised a brow. "You haven't been discreet. I'm certain you know all villages have spies in others. Konoha and Yugakure are not exceptions. Your absences were noted."

She almost flinched at his words.

She was about to retort when she saw it, the almost imperceptible shift in her environment that signaled the commencement of an illusionary technique, a genjutsu. Her advanced medical training that taught her to detect such minute changes, and for that, she thanked her shishou fervently. Because without it, she would not have known any better.

Body tensed, she darted her eyes back and forth around the surrounding forest, knowing that what she saw might not be real. Nothing seemed to have changed. The four of them were still encircling her. The breeze was still teasing the bangs at the sides of her head, mildly irritating her as the ends of her hair tickled her skin. Had it not taken effect yet?

And then _they_ appeared, running towards her with their usual expressions that screamed protectiveness.

Eyes widened in recognition and confusion, she whispered, "Kakashi? Naruto?"

"Stand back, Sakura-chan! I'll protect you!" Naruto yelled, a Rasengan flaring brightly in one hand.

"Sakura, don't move!" Kakashi instructed, streaking towards them.

They came! The feeling of relief washed over her, and Sakura was about to lower her defenses when a very familiar being materialized in her mind, its black and white figure a reassuring, familiar presence. Someone she had not seen for many years.

_A genjutsu_, her inner self hissed angrily.

Sakura blinked rapidly as her entire body grew cold. What the hell? It was a genjutsu? Kakashi and Naruto were part of the genjutsu? The Root bastards!

Gathering chakra to her hands, she focused her energy and yelled, "Kai!"

The illusion dispersed almost immediately, just in time for her to see two Root operatives charging at her, their tanto pointed in her direction. The blades glinted in the sunlight as they swung down at her, telling her that she had to handle these two, and there was no time for her to search out the rest of the Root operatives.

"Hell," she hissed, performing a substitution jutsu.

The replacement log split into half with a sharp snap, taking the attack in her place. She paled, wondering if she had been mistaken and they wanted to kill her despite the information she held. Or worse, they did not care if they sliced her to bits as long as she remained alive long enough to talk. Whichever it was, she really did not want to find out.

Gathering chakra to her fist, she slammed it into the ground, upturning earth and trees with a loud crack. Darting to a space between two lumps of rock which provided some measure of security, she tried to locate her opponents. She thought she saw the four figures in the settling rubble, but she could not be sure with all the dust in the air.

Suddenly, there was a movement to her right. She left her hiding spot, and then arched back as a rain of shuriken shot past her. She thought that she had made it until she felt metal slice into her flesh. Hissing in pain, she glanced down to find a large bleeding gash across her upper left arm. How the hell-

Her train of thought broke off when the subtle shift of her surrounding betrayed the presence of another genjutsu. Was this a different one, or was it… Wait! Her eyes widened in realization.

It was a layered genjutsu.

"Kai!"

As she pressed a glowing palm to her bleeding arm, the genjutsu dissipated completely to reveal the true forms of the four ANBU again. They did not even seem anywhere close to being affected, while there she was, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest as she fought not to panic.

It was then that it hit her hard.

They were far too skilled for her. They were ten times as cunning as Sai and ten times more powerful. She did not have a chance in hell of escaping. In fact, she knew that they could flatten her in seconds, but somehow, was refraining from doing so. They seemed to be taking their time. Almost as if they were playing with her.

One of them streaked forward then, interrupting her gloomy thoughts. She darted out of the way of his fist, quickly retaliating with a chakra enhanced swing of her arm. Unfortunately for her, he was quick. Almost as quick as Lee, and she soon found herself on the defensive again, blocking his kicks and punches.

A brief moment of distraction was her downfall. She cried out as his kick connected with her ribs, sending her flying through the air. A cloud of dust exploded around her when she hit the ground, making her cough, but she quickly scrambled to her feet, refusing to be in such a vulnerable position.

"Give up," the leader of the squad told her flatly, as he stood aside, watching the battle. "You're wasting time."

"I'm not giving up so easily," she snarled back.

"This battle is pointless," he declared. "You are only prolonging the inevitable."

Sweat dropping into her eyes, she glared at them before turning her full attention to her current opponent. This one was obviously a taijutsu specialist, and the one before that a genjutsu specialist, which meant that the third one was most likely a ninjutsu specialist. She did not even what to think of what it would be like to fight him. She had never been very strong at ninjutsu. As for the fourth one, the leader, she had not seen what he could do, but she was certain that it was not anything pleasant.

Steeling her spine with determination, she decided that if she had any chance of defeating one, it would be the one who had put himself physically within her reach. She only hoped that the other two would stay back, as they had done so far. It was a standard procedure, after all, to not interrupt a battle between two opponents.

With that thought, she darted towards him.

"Give up, Haruno," the taijutsu specialist spoke for the first time, his voice harsh and grating.

"You wish," she returned sharply as she swung a chakra-enhanced kick towards him.

Blocking the kick, he sneered, "You're weak, without those teammates of yours."

"Don't call me weak!" she snarled, swiping a chakra scalpel at the Root's head.

He leapt sideways, but quickly returned for another quick series of jabs, which Sakura blocked with her chakra-enhanced wrists. They exchanged several blow, each blocking, ducking, punching and kicking with a swiftness that was almost dizzying.

Then Sakura grimaced when a punch connected with her stomach, and he hissed in surprise when her glowing feet hit his shoulder, throwing him backwards. He crashed against a nearby boulder, and she streaked forward, not intending to allow him to catch his breath. The moment her fist flew towards him, however, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a log in his place.

Irritated at being thwarted, Sakura swung around, only to find a sandaled foot flying towards her. She sidestepped at the last moment, reaching out to grip his ankle mid-air. With her chakra-enhanced strength, she slammed him down to the ground, sending a cloud of dust up in the air.

Without pause, she drove a glowing fist into his chest, hard. This time, it connected, and she felt his bones snap underneath the blow.

Finally! Breathless from the exertion, she withdrew, marginally satisfied at having achieved what she had set out to do. The Root operative was clutching his chest as he twitched and spasmed on the ground, and Sakura could tell that he would not last long.

A moment later, he stilled, clearly dead.

"You should not have done that, Haruno."

She spun around, to find the blue-haired Root giving her a hard look. He did not seem pleased, but he did not seem overly traumatized by the loss of his teammate either. This was not surprising, because according to Sai, all of them had been stripped of normal emotions. Which made them even more dangerous as opponents.

But it was not the leader who moved forward to challenge her next. It was the one she guessed was the ninjutsu expert, and his hands were already coming up to execute some jutsu. With his dark-hair and dark eyes, he could almost pass for an Uchiha, she thought. She wanted to hope that he was nowhere near as skilled as the infamous clan, but that might be too much to hope for. He was in Root, after all.

A moment later, her fear was proven correct when she saw one of the biggest fireballs she had ever seen flying her way.

"Damn it!" she cursed as she molded chakra to her feet, darting away from the trajectory of the attack.

"You cannot outrun every attack, Haruno," her attacker told her flatly, emotionlessly.

"Just try to stop me!" she retorted angrily, her feet not pausing as he continued to bombard her with more fireballs.

There was no way she could outlast him at the rate things were going. She had to get closer to him. These ninjutsu types were usually better at mid-range and long-range attacks, so she had to see if she would be lucky enough that his taijutsu skills were mediocre.

A minute later, after throwing back a couple of wind jutsu while moving in a zig-zag pattern, depleting her precious chakra, she finally made it close enough to extend a chakra-enhance roundhouse to his head. He twisted out of the way, and to her shame, she did not even see his feet move. And then he simply disappeared in a flash, leaving her standing alone in the area, surrounded in darkness.

Standing there, breathing hard as she scanned the area, she realized with dismay that she had not even managed to land a single hit on this opponent.

The old, familiar twinge of doubt and uncertainty returned so quickly that it was almost like a physical blow. Was the taijutsu Root right? Was she really still so weak without her teammates? Without Kakashi and Naruto and Sai? She had not been sent on a solo mission that required her to fight her way out of things, now had she?

Coupled by her inability to summon anything more than a small slug, it was hard to believe that she had actually thought that she stood a chance to be shoulder to shoulder with her teammates, and not just looking over her shoulders. She might have improved from that weak twelve-year-old genin, but obviously not enough.

She only had herself to blame, of course. She could have trained over the last two years, improved herself as much as she could. But what had she done instead? Worked for Danzou on a cushy mission of extracting Shinjutama while waiting for Kakashi and Naruto to come up with something. No wonder they had not wanted her along, even though they had given her a different reason. They probably did not want to hurt her feelings. Not that she blamed them, of course. At the rate she was going, she probably would have dragged them into trouble long before this if she had followed them.

Shaking the dismal thoughts out of her head, she scanned the area once again, trying her hardest to detect something, or someone.

Then he appeared suddenly, without a single warning. She only managed narrowly to duck a water dragon. Sprinting away, she glanced back to throw a wind jutsu at the Root, but he deflected it easily with another jutsu.

And it went downhill from there onwards. One jutsu after another bombarded her, driving her further and further back as her panic grew. She was running out of chakra even after the first couple of counterattacks, but this dark-haired Root seemed to have a bottomless supply of chakra for his techniques. How the hell was she supposed to get out of this? The only thing she had been doing for the past half an hour was run and duck.

Knowing that she had to buy time, and to catch her breath, she called forth more chakra to her right foot and slammed the limb into the ground.

The loud explosion of rock obscured the vision of anyone nearby, and she took advantage of the distraction to dive into a void in the rubble. She knew that it was matter of time before those Root found their footing again, but she needed to get away from them, however briefly. They were too skilled for her to even think of winning, or even outrunning them. But at least now, sheltered within a rough dome of rubble, with the steam from within the ground forming droplets on her skin, she had bought herself sometime to think.

Breathing heavily, she gritted her teeth in frustration as she stared into the darkness, trying to concentrate. She knew what they were trying to do, and was succeeding in doing. But there was no way she could do anything else. They were trying to deplete her chakra, knowing that without chakra, she had absolutely no chance at all. Her fighting techniques all relied on chakra, after all. And at times like this, she wished that she had asked for Lee to help her with taijutsu. Too late now, though.

She wanted to escape, but that option was looking rather impossible. What other options did she have?

Think, Sakura. Think.

If she could not escape now, she had to consider what she could do to escape once she was captured. She also needed to warn Tsunade before Root somehow pried the information out of her mind. At least if Tsunade managed to get to Suna before then, she would be relatively safe. Even Danzou would think twice about attacking another major shinobi village.

The slugs.

Uncertainty coursed through her then, even as part of her was relieved that there _was_ an option to get a message across. She would be relying on a technique that she had not fully mastered yet, and that worried her greatly. It would not be so bad if she was sure that she could get a message across, but what if she could not? What if she failed to send a message and Root tortured the information about Tsunade's whereabouts out of her?

She had to try. There was no time, and no other options.

Forming the seals hurriedly, she bit her thumb and slammed her hand onto the broken rubble. The flare of chakra which usually followed the technique rose, briefly illuminating the dark space.

Enough for her to see a very small slug resting in front of her.

Relief coursed through her.

"Thank you for coming," she breathed out gratefully, reaching out to allow the slug to inch its way up to her palm. "Come closer, please."

Seated on her palm, the tiny slug made a move with its head, indicating that it understood as she brought it closer to her.

"I need you to bring a message to Tsunade. Please. It's very important."

The slug nodded again.

"Tell her that it is time to move. She needs to send a message to Gaara first, but tell her to hurry and to be extra careful. Root is around the area." She paused, worried that the tiny slug might not remember everything. "Tell Tsunade not to wait for me. And that I'll take care of myself."

And with that, she released the summon. It disappeared with a subtle poof, and Sakura could only hope that her message would get through fast.

To be sure, she would have to conserve chakra to send another message. But at right at this moment, she did not have enough chakra even to summon an earthworm. It was pitiful. And when Root finally detained her, she was certain that they would either lock or drain her chakra. What could she do to make sure that she would have enough chakra to summon, at least, if she was even given the chance to escape?

The answer came to her in the form of the vial resting against her hips, causing her eyes to widen in realization.

Reaching down, she slipped the vial from its compartment just inside her skirt and stared at the glowing fragments. They were the pure, just-extracted Shinjutama that still had the barrier around them, making it impossible for anyone except those with Shinju blood to work with them. It meant that if she embedded them into her body, no one would be able to remove them. In fact, with the barrier intact, no one would even know they were there if they were not looking for them. And once the Shinjutama fragments were inside her, she would be able to use them the moment she found an opportunity in the future. Theoretically.

She grimaced again at the thought. The whole idea might not even work, because stupidly, she had not continued that particular line of research. After all, it did not occur to her that she might even _try_ to use the Shinjutama in such a way back then.

But she knew that this was not the time to pause and take her time to contemplate. Because she longer she delayed, she less chance she would have to use the Shinjutama fragments at all.

Taking a deep breath, she uncorked the vial and poured the Shinjutama fragments onto her palm. There were ten pea-sized fragments, which seemed like a lot. But considering who she was up against, she probably needed them all.

Curling her hand around the fragments, she used her other hand to retrieve a kunai from her pouch. She had to conserve the meager remains of her chakra, or she would use her chakra scalpels to do this. Now, she would just have to use her kunai to slice small incisions into her body, and then heal away the wounds with her chakra.

Methodically, she brought her kunai down to make two incisions on each leg, two incisions on each arm and the last two on the flat plane of her stomach. Thick red blood seeped out, but it did not bother her.

Quickly, she inserted the fragments in the incisions she had made, wincing at the pain. And then, without delay, she passed her glowing hand over the wounds to close them. With a quick wipe with her skirt, all the evidence of her impromptu operation was completely erased.

And it was just in time too, for the next moment, she felt a flare of chakra above her, on the other side of her rocky shelter.

Cursing under her breath, she substituted herself with a log with the last of her chakra. She just barely escaped being caved in when a water jutsu crashed into her hiding place, washing away the smaller pieces of rubble, and displacing the larger ones.

Her eyes widened when the frothy water came into full view just for a brief moment before she felt herself being dragged underwater. The force of the attack was massive, for even though she had escaped being buried alive under the mix of water and rubble, she could not avoid being dragged along with the current, especially now that she did not have any chakra to work with.

She kept thinking that the water would eventually subside, but instead, the flood intensified. The roaring sound of water only grew louder and louder, crashing everywhere deafening and blinding her. Water rushed into her mouth and into her nostrils, making her cough and sputter as she threw her arms up in the desperate attempt to swim upwards, but something kept dragging her down, almost as if it was trying to drown her. She could not breathe. Her lungs felt so tight that she felt as if they might implode.

Was she going to die like this?

Panicking, she continued to thrash against the invisible grip the water had on her. Please, please, please, cried her terrified mind. But she could no nothing to stop it. She could do nothing to stop the black spots swimming in front of her eyes from the lack of oxygen nor could she do anything about the painful sensation of water forcing itself into her lungs.

Then everything stilled.

Through her hazy, half-conscious state, she could hear the silence left by the receding water, and the sweet taste of air entering her in bouts of desperate gasps and coughs. Her chest hurt and her body throbbed, but nothing felt worse than the sight of the three ANBU Root members standing over her.

"We've wasted enough time," the leader of the squad announced. "Take her."

Sakura could do nothing but allow herself to slip into unconsciousness as the Root hoisted her up onto his shoulder.

000

* * *

000

It was a hot, sunny day, with no signs of breeze or rain to break the heat. This sort of weather was suitable for a restful day out with one's family, but it was less than comfortable for an intensive battle.

Hidden between two large boulders, Itachi reached out the hand holding a kunai he had relieved from Sasuke in their previous battle to use its blade as a mirror to check if the area was secure before taking a step out. His Sharingan-red eyes darted left and then right, searching for telltale signs of disturbances which would betray Sasuke's location. They had been fighting again, for the past hour or so, and this time, Sasuke had wisely adopted the sneak-attack strategy instead of his usual frontal attacks.

It made for a more challenging battle.

Whilst a part of Itachi was proud that Sasuke had improved so much, part of him despaired of what his little brother was using his skills for. Till now, their fourth battle so far, he had not been able to sway Sasuke from his foolish notions of revenge.

It was truly frustrating.

In the midst of his frustration, Itachi also recognized the annoyance he felt towards Sasuke, but for a different reason this time. It was clear from his current lack of old wounds that Sakura had thoroughly healed him more than a week ago, probably soon after he had left Yugakure. He had just missed her then, which was in its own way, a fortunate thing, for Itachi did not want to even contemplate the potential situation that could arise if all three of them were to occupy the same room at the same time.

"Pay, attention!" Sasuke snarled, breaking him out of his chain of thoughts as he appeared suddenly, a Chidori blazing in one hand.

Itachi substituted himself, and the log which stood in his place exploded violently on contact with Sasuke's lightning chakra. It reminded him that he had to focus on the battle, instead of allowing his mind to stray. This was the very reason why a shinobi should not be emotionally involved in anything, for it could be fatal in certain situations.

Casting a quick genjutsu on the area, Itachi streaked across to the other side, watching as Sasuke snapped his head back and forth quickly to locate him. Before his little brother could think to move, Itachi executed the seals for a water jutsu. A second later, columns of water shot up from the ground throwing Sasuke in the air, only to have the younger Uchiha explode into a cloud of smoke.

A clone, Itachi grimaced.

By some unspoken agreement, both of them had kept genjutsu techniques to a minimum. Perhaps both of them were aware that such techniques were usually more time consuming, and that was the last thing both of them wanted. Their battles were usually heated and quick, with neither of them fatally injured because despite everything, Itachi still loved his little brother, and he knew that Sasuke cared for him. It made the battle more difficult, in some ways. Itachi held back his more lethal techniques, and he was certain that Sasuke was doing the same.

A small burst of chakra was the only warning he had, but Itachi managed to leap high up in the air just as a fireball exploded in the space he had been standing in just a fraction of a second ago. Landing some distance away, he arched a brow at an irritated Sasuke.

"Slow. Just like before."

Sasuke let out a hiss. "I'm not trying to kill you, Itachi."

"I know," he said, regretting that they were fighting at all. "Still, you should stop while you're ahead. Attacking Konoha will not miraculously bring everything you've lost back."

Sasuke's lips thinned, clearly disagreeing.

"How many have you lost in this quest for revenge?" Itachi asked mildly. Recalling Hebi, he added, "What of your Sound teammates? I do not see them trailing after you these days."

"They are gone." Sasuke's voice was tight.

"Gone," Itachi repeated. "Just like Orochimaru." And seeking information subtly, he prodded, "And just like Madara."

Sasuke's eyes flashed in anger. "Madara was a fool."

"Is that so?"

"He didn't know when to stop." After a pause, Sasuke continued, "But without him, we would never have captured the bijuu in the first place. So I have him to thank for this power at my disposal."

So, Madara had been killed in the battle with the bijuu. A fitting end, as far as Itachi was concerned. But the old man had clearly managed to poison Sasuke before he died, something which annoyed Itachi greatly.

"If Madara perished in a battle against the bijuu, what makes you think you can subdue it?" Itachi asked.

"His Sharingan was weakening towards the end." Sasuke smirked. "I can control it."

Madara's prized bloodline had let him down in the end, had it? Itachi could only hope that the same would not happen to Sasuke, for his little brother seemed to be hell bent on using his own Sharingan to control the bijuu to attack Konoha. It pained him to know that his little brother still could not see that not all of Konoha was to blame for the massacre. Was Sasuke so blinded by his early years clan education that he could not see that the clan was not blameless?

Perhaps the only way to make Sasuke see this was by battle. By beating the sanity back into him.

With that thought, Itachi shifted his stance, bringing his hands together in preparation to execute the seals for a water jutsu. Standing some distance opposite him, Sasuke's eyes sharpened, and his body tensed in readiness.

"You're being stubborn, Sasuke."

Sasuke smirked. "No. You're just annoyed that you have to fight me."

"Perhaps." Because he truly did not wish to keep battling his little brother, especially now that the truth was out.

Something in Sasuke's eyes dimmed then, almost as if he was saddened by something. "You never had time for me, Nii-san."

Itachi did not know how to respond to such a declaration.

In the next moment, Sasuke's expression hardened. "But now, you _will_ pay attention to me."

And Itachi knew there and then that this would not be the last time they faced each other in a battle.

000

* * *

000

The moment consciousness pricked at Sakura, she had no time to register anything else but the explosive pain wracking her entire body. Reflexively, she called forth her chakra, only to receive no answer. In fact, she could barely feel her arms.

Alarmed and confused, her eyes snapped open to find herself in an unfamiliar cave. A shiver ran through her when she realized that she was cold and her body throbbed painfully. She tried to move, only to hear something clanging loudly against the rocky cave wall above her. Gritting her teeth against the pain and the urge to black out again, she twisted her head behind her to find that her arms were stretched back upwards, fastened to the wall with metal and chains.

Chakra suppressing shackles.

Oh, hell.

Trying not to panic too much, she glanced around the cave, which was empty save for herself. The muted light hitting the floor at the mouth of the cave told her that it was likely to be sunset, and since she had been knocked out when it was late in the night, it suggested that she had been unconscious for the whole day. She grimaced at the thought that she could be anywhere by now.

She had to find a way out.

Frantically, her eyes darted all over the small cave, only to note with sinking heart that there was nothing she could use. There was no exit except for one, and she was quite certain that her captors were close by. The ANBU Root wouldn't have left her there to die after going through all that trouble of capturing her, after all.

Her shoulders sagging, she groaned dejectedly as she absorbed the hopelessness of her situation. It was no use. Hung limply from the cave wall, supported only by a pair of chakra-suppressing shackles, she stared down at the damp, mossy rock under her dangling feet. Her entire body ached even though she knew that her injuries were not life threatening.

Perhaps she should not have fought them. Perhaps she should have allowed them to take her in just like that and maybe then, they would believe that she had nothing to do with Tsunade. But at that moment, panic had flared and she had acted without thinking of the consequences. Now that she thought about it, her actions obviously declared loud and clear that she was guilty.

What was more humiliating was the swiftness of the entire battle. They had subdued her in no time, despite all her efforts to fight back.

She snorted and then choked on her own blood. Spitting it out, she glared at the red spots now splattered across the mossy rock she was standing on.

Who was she kidding? She should have realized it earlier. She should have known that despite the improvement in her medical skills, she was still sorely lacking in other ninja arts. Hell, she could not even execute a decent summoning technique, something Naruto and Sasuke had mastered years ago. It was a glaring evidence of how far behind she was, compared to them.

She thought that she was over it, but now that she thought about it, she_ still_ needed someone to watch her back. Like the time they had followed the false trail and the Root had chased after her. She could barely hold her own, and would have lost if not for Kakashi's and Naruto's appearance.

She even needed the help of a _civilian_ to help her get out of trouble. If Itsuki had not provided her with a cover, she had no doubt that the Root would have taken her there and then, a year ago. It was only because Itsuki had claimed that she was with him, that he was her lover, that Root had given her the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps that was when they had begun to suspect her.

Not that it made much of a difference now, she supposed. She was not even stealthy enough a kunoichi to avoid being caught out by Root. She had not even realized that she was being watched. Some kunoichi she was. Even Itsuki had noticed that something was wrong. She should have listened to him and laid low for a while, instead of brushing his concerns away. It was not as if she did not know he was an incredibly perceptive individual, always attuned to his surrounding.

He would have made an excellent shinobi.

Unlike her.

If she ever got out of this predicament, she would fix this. She would go all out to make sure that she had a good arsenal of offensive techniques under her belt. Chakra enhanced taijutsu was not enough when one had such a limited amount of chakra, despite the ability to control it better than anyone else. She needed more. She had grown overconfident with her medical abilities and neglected her other skills, and she needed to fix it.

But first, she needed to get free.

Somehow, that did not seem very possible at the moment. The only one who would notice that she was missing was Itsuki. And regardless of his assistance back then, she doubted that he would be able to do much to get her out of trouble this time round.

In fact, she hoped that he would not search for her at all. She feared to think of what might happen if Root caught him trying to help her. Itsuki did not deserve to get involved in this mess at all. Her brows furrowed in deliberation as she tried to remember if she was due to meet up with him soon. It was quite difficult to think clearly with her pounding headache.

Her concentration was broken when an ANBU Root suddenly appeared at the mouth of the cave. It was the blue-haired one, the leader. She had not noticed his approach at all, which told her that her chakra and her sensing abilities were all thoroughly sealed.

"You are awake," he noted as he closed the distance between them. Behind him, the two remaining members of his squad followed.

She glared at him. "Unfortunately."

"You can begin to answer some questions, then."

She gave him a snort of derision.

The ANBU ignored the gesture, asking instead, "Firstly, where is the Godaime?"

Arching a brow, she snapped, "What makes you think I know?" Tsunade could be on her way to Suna by now, for all she knew.

"You are being stubborn, Haruno."

Cold fingers gripped her chin, forcing her head up, and her eyes met his. The blue-haired squad leader was studying her impassively, as if he wanted to see just how far he could go with the torture. Her eyes instantly narrowed at him, her lips curled into a snarl.

"Tell us what we need to know, and you will be spared the pain," he coaxed softly.

Peering through her wet bangs at the Root, she spat, "Never!"

There was a flash of irritation in his ice-cold eyes then, before he released his grip to order one of the other Root, the genjutsu specialist, "Extract her memories."

Sakura's eyes widened in alarm. No, she would not allow them to do such a thing. If she remembered correctly, the technique would cause one to lose their memories permanently, leaving them an empty shell. That, in itself was not what she was afraid of. But she knew too many things that she could not afford to let them know.

The genjutsu specialist came towards her, his eyes pierced hers in the most unnerving manner. She gritted her teeth, tugging at her restraints in reflex even through she knew that she could not break free of such shackles easily. Her struggles intensified as he stopped in front of her, his hands coming together to form some foreign seals, murmuring something under his breath. Something told her that this would be bad.

"Get away from me!" she snarled, jerking her entire body, sending the shackles clanging loudly against the stone wall.

The moment he completed the final seal, she felt a sinking sensation at the pit of her stomach. An uncomfortable pressure began to build inside her mind, drawing an involuntary cry from her. She squeezed her eyes shut in the attempt to block it, but she knew deep inside that it was futile. The pain only intensified, until such point that she wondered if she would fall unconscious from it.

When the pressure finally reached a point that she thought she could no longer bear, it suddenly disappeared.

Shock made her eyes fly open.

Only to widen in disbelief when she found herself facing an unfamiliar landscape. This could not be real, she thought as she eyed the thousands of small floating orbs around her, glowing and bobbing aimlessly in the never-ending midnight black space. What the hell was going on?

And then, in the distance, she saw him.

The ANBU Root.

Icy fingers of trepidation crept up her spine as she watched him. His figure was insubstantial, wraithlike, as he cut a path through those orbs, sifting through them as if he was searching for something. He did not seem to notice that she was watching him, as intent as he was in his task. She watched as he pushed an orb too hard, sending it smashing into another.

Both of the orbs broke soundlessly, allowing colorful wisps to escape and disperse into nothing. At that very same moment, Sakura felt an odd void in her mind. As if she should be remembering something, but couldn't. It was confusing, she thought as the ANBU Root displaced several more orbs, destroying them in the process. And once again, she felt as if she had lost something.

As if she had lost something precious.

A gasp left her lips when comprehension dawned.

Those orbs represented her memories, and he was searching through them, destroying them.

A surge of steely determination shot through her then. No way would she allow him to violate her memories like this. Even if she could not get out of this alive, she would make sure that the bastard did not get a single useful information out of her.

Just as she was about to make a move, another figure appeared.

Stunned, Sakura could only watch as her inner self, Inner Sakura, streaked through the endless landscape until she reached the ANBU Root. Strangely enough, the Root could see her, and paused in his task. His stance was clearly hostile.

And then the battle began.

It was as if she was watching the fight from afar. Her inner self was solid, strong, compared to the wraithlike invader. She was also angry. And the anger was what seemed to be pushing her onwards, blocking the wraithlike projection of the Root from taking her memories.

The battle continued, the pressure in her mind increasing until Sakura had to bite her lips to still the scream which threatened to escape. She could not give in. Inner Sakura could not give in. Not on this. Not on anything that could jeopardize the chance of Konoha returning to its previous glory.

And then it happened.

So swiftly that Sakura almost missed it, her inner self rammed her fist into the wraithlike figure, which dispersed on impact.

"_Shannaro!"_ her inner self yelled triumphantly.

Before Sakura had a chance to revel in a smidgen of relief, she was tossed back into reality. Breathing hard, as if she was the one who had battled the Root in her mind, it took a while for her eyes to focus on the figures several feet in front of her. The squad leader and the ninjutsu specialist were bending over the genjutsu user, who was curled up on the ground, motionless.

"Is he alive?" the blue-haired leader asked.

The dark-haired ninjutsu Root nodded. "Physically, yes. His eyes are open and he is breathing, but he is not responding."

"Brain dead?" the leader's tone was disinterested.

"Appears so."

The leader straightened. "Dispose of him, and call for a back-up team."

The other Root nodded and then left, dragging the body of his comrade with him.

Sakura watched warily as the leader stepped close to her, his cold eyes assessingly her intently before he spoke. "You are a nuisance, Haruno."

She glared at him.

"Do not think that you can outlast us." He reached out to fist a hand in her hair, forcing a wince from her. "Because you will not."

And then he reached further up until his hand went past the shackles and met her cold, numb hand. Sakura had a very bad feeling that she knew what was coming.

The leader continued to speak, in that mild, cold tone, "It is our mission to ensure that you cooperate." He paused as his hand wrapped around her fingers. "And we will do so by any means."

Her scream ricocheted around the enclosed space when he snapped her index finger.

000

* * *

000

Itachi stared at the setting sun with a feeling of growing disquiet.

He had been waiting there, at the site of the Shinjutama for an entire day, and thus far, he had seen no sign of a certain pink-haired kunoichi. It was already midweek, therefore she should be there as per her usual schedule, especially now that she knew she was being watched. Any deviation from her usual schedule would be viewed as suspicious, after all.

For the past hour or so, ever since the sun began to set in the horizon, he had been plagued by the notion that she could be in trouble already. It frustrated him that he did not know if that was definitely the case. She could be in the other village, or even back in Yugakure for something important, for all he knew. It might be as simple as she had not had the time to inform him of the change in plans.

Standing there with his troubled thoughts, Itachi continued to wait until the sun fully descended. Only then did he move. Swiftly, his feet took him back to his own village. Soon enough, he passed through the Shinjutama barrier. But instead of making a beeline for his own home, he went in another direction, to the newly-repaired house occupied by Rin.

A mix of feeling coursed through him when he noted that there were lights within, telling him that Rin was at home. He did not know if he should feel relieved that there was someone else available that could possibly know where Sakura was, or feel concerned at the fact that Rin was here, and therefore, they were not working on the Godaime.

Realizing that all his speculations would not get him anywhere, Itachi strode up to the door and knocked three times. Through the door, he could hear sounds of metal clanging against metal, suggesting that Rin must have been cooking. The sounds stopped then, and after a few seconds, the door swung open slightly to reveal the dark-haired kunoichi. The woman seemed reluctant to allow him to view what was behind the door, which told him that he might have interrupted her in the midst of something more sensitive than cooking.

Eyes wide with surprise, Rin exclaimed, "Itsuki! What brings you here so late at night? Is everything okay?"

"Apologies for interrupting your evening, Rin-san. I'm simply wondering if you have seen Sakura."

"No," she responded slowly, thoughtfully. "Why are you looking for her?"

"We have a prior engagement," he told her vaguely, not wishing to go into details as he was not certain what Sakura had told Rin. "She did not show up."

Rin only stared at him evenly. "What do you mean?"

"She was due at the Shinjutama cave today, but she did not turn up," he explained briefly. "She has spoken of her healing sessions with your friend in the other village, so I was wondering if you have seen her. Perhaps she was delayed."

"She left us a couple of days ago," she told him, her eyes clouded with worry.

Itachi felt a cold dread wash over him. He sensed that she was telling the truth, but opposite him, still standing at the door, Rin's reaction was not as severe as he had expected. But from what he knew of Leaf nins, they were generally ruled by emotions and bonds. While Rin was clearly worried, it almost seemed as if she had expected this. Something else was going on.

Still, he had received the confirmation he needed, and he would make a move. He knew from what Sakura had told him that Rin and the rest of the Konoha kunoichi would not be able to do anything without risking exposure, and therefore, it would be safe for him to track her freely.

"Where was her destination?"

"She didn't say. She just said she had something to do."

Itachi nodded. She could only be heading back to Yugakure. He doubted that she would go any further. At least he had a point to start from now. He would track her trail from the other civilian village. She could be injured somewhere, but he doubted it, as she would have healed herself. In the time that he knew her, Sakura had never allowed her chakra to run so low that she travelled without it. He could only speculate that the ANBU Root had intercepted her, for he was not aware of anyone else who could possibly wish to kidnap the kunoichi.

Mind made up, he inclined his head at Rin. "Thank you for your information, Rin-san. I will search for her."

Eyes widening, finally displaying a more passionate reaction, Rin burst out, "I don't think that's a good idea, Itsuki-san."

"Why not?" he returned smoothly, doubting that Rin would push the topic any further. After all, she would not want to explain certain things to him.

Her lips clamped shut, as he had predicted. She simply shook her head at him, not meeting his eyes.

He assured her, "I know the area well, Rin-san. If she is still within Spring Country, I will find her."

A loud exhalation of breath came from the woman, before she nodded curtly, "Be careful out there. It is… late."

He inclined his head, acknowledging her words of caution. "Have a good night, Rin-san."

And with that, he backed away from her house to make his way back to his own dwelling. All the while, he was considering different options of the quickest way for him to find her.

The moment he arrived at his home, he went to one corner of his bedroom and lifted up the wooden floorboards. The void beneath the planks had been filled with various shinobi weapons he had collected over the past two years, from fights with rogue shinobi and more recently, from Sasuke. Eyeing the weapons, he reached out for a handful of kunai, some shuriken, and some wires. It was not much, but it would suffice.

He also picked up every personal item he had collected over the past two years, knowing that it was possible that he might not return. Then he moved to the drawer where Sakura kept some of her belongings and extracted a change of clothes for her. There was no telling what state she would be in when he found her.

Yes. _When_ he found her. The alternative was unacceptable.

He was about to push the drawer shut when he saw a black corner peeking out of the bottom of a towel. Reaching in, he withdrew the familiar Bingo Book, grimacing as he did so. It was this particular book that had jolted his memories, and somehow, it felt wrong to leave it. With that thought, he placed it in his pocket, while the rest of the items made it into a storage scroll, ready to be extracted whenever he summoned them.

Quickly glancing around his home for the past two years, as if bidding it goodbye, he then turned around and walked out of the front door, shutting it with a click which rang with a note of finality. Perhaps, this was the point where his life took another turn again.

One thing that made weighed down his heart was the realization that once he found Sakura, it was likely that his secret would be unveiled. He would have to fight her captors, and it would be impossible for him to conceal his identity while doing so. ANBU Root operatives were never easy opponents.

But it had to be done. She had to be saved. As it was, he did not even want to contemplate what they were doing to her now. Root had always been ruthless, something which stemmed from their lack of conscience. And if they wanted information from Sakura, they would do it in any way they deemed most efficient, regardless of whether it was humane or not.

He had to get to her fast.

000

* * *

000

Sakura cracked her eyes open, staring out at the blurry figured swimming ahead of her. She was in so much pain that it was difficult to form a single, coherent thought. All she could think of was how nice it would be to pass out, but that was not to be.

Another splash of water hit her face, making her sputter and choke when the liquid went into her nose and mouth. Her sudden movements sent shots of pain coursing through her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she gritted her teeth, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry out.

She had lost track of the number of injuries adorning her broken body and she had lost track of time. It could have been days that she suffered their torture, and the last she could recall, she had each of her fingers broken, as well as a couple of broken ribs, not to mention her bruised jaw. At least her left thigh had stopped bleeding, she thought as she eyed the stained material of her medic skirt. Still, it did not mean that the wounds did not hurt like hell.

"Open your eyes."

She did not respond, instead she remained slumped forward, hanging by her arms. There was no point. They could torture her to death and she would not give up Tsunade's location. She was likely to have arrived in Suna now, anyway.

Her only hope, the Shinjutama fragments, was useless as long as the chakra suppressing shackles remained locked around her limbs. Without the ability to summon chakra, she could not even test if the Shinjutama fragment had managed to store enough chakra for her to summon a battle slug. The whole situation was looking grim indeed.

Cold metal touched her chin then, making her wince as it forced her to look up. There was a pinprick of pain as the sharp blade pierced her chin, but it was mild, compared to the rest of her body. Eyes cracking open, she glared at the blue-haired Root.

"Another squad is arriving today. Be assured that they will not be as patient as I have been," the leader told her coldly.

Patient? She almost let out a derisive snort, only to find that she had no strength to do so. She was weaker than she thought. When was the last time she had eaten or drank? At Tsunade's place, perhaps. It was getting too difficult to remember things now.

"You could save yourself the trouble of going through all this if you'd just tell us what we need to know."

Sakura remained silent.

"Stubborn. As stubborn as that old crone Tsunade."

Her eyes jerked up to his then, and she snarled, "Don't refer to her with such disrespect, you scum!"

Her head whipped to the side as his fist connected with her jaw, but she snapped it back, glaring at him. But before she could spit at him, the other ANBU Root entered the cave.

"They are almost here. One of us should go."

The blue-haired ANBU Root nodded, his cold eyes not leaving hers. "Guard her while I meet them."

Sakura continued to glare murderously at him even when he took his eyes off her, walking out of the cave.

The other ANBU glanced at her briefly, and then went out to the cave entrance, presumably to commence guard duty, leaving her to finally give in to the pain and exhaustion. Her last thought was that death might be a welcome relief.

000

* * *

000

Itachi stood watch from his hidden perch on the branch of a tall tree. The gaps between the dense foliage allowed him a view to the shielded opening of a cave just a hundred feet away, a cave where he was certain Sakura was being restrained.

It had not taken him long to locate the pink haired kunoichi. He had sent his crow summons to survey the entirety of the route between the civilian village and Yugakure, and one had returned with the information that there were fluctuations of chakra inside a cave area close to Yugakure. Apparently, the ANBU Root had not bothered to conceal their tracks. Perhaps they had not thought that anyone would follow them, and therefore, such a move was unnecessary.

Itachi's eyes did not even flicker as he continued to watch. There was currently one Root standing guard at the mouth of the cave. The other one had left earlier to meet what Itachi sensed was a back-up team of four. Since they usually travelled in squads of four, the fact that there were only two left on this particular squad told him that Sakura had disposed of two. His lips quirked with pride at her ability.

She might have killed two, but four Root operatives had clearly proved to be too much for her. In fact, he would have a difficult time with four of them, let alone a total of six now.

His eyes narrowed slightly. One, however, was easy.

With that thought, he slipped out of his hiding place. With a henge altering his appearance to one with nondescript brown hair and eyes, he walked straight up to the cave. The civilian persona was not a foreign one to him, and he acted with ease.

"Stop right there," the Root guard immediately ordered, his tone harsh and cold.

Itachi hoped he appeared sufficiently frightened. "I just need directions, Shinobi-san."

The Root made his mistake then, striding away from the cave entrance as he bit out, "Go away."

In a blink of an eye, Itachi captured the Root in his Sharingan, causing him to freeze. Knowing that he could not afford to attract too much attention, he darted forward and snapped the Root's neck swiftly, before throwing the body in the nearby bushes.

Without pause, Itachi went swiftly into the cave, and immediately stilled at the sight that greeted him.

He felt a surge of wild rage that he had never experienced when he took in the state the unconscious woman was in. Hanging by her wrist against the cave wall, she was covered in new and old blood, visible through her tattered and torn clothing. Her fingers were clearly broken and her arms were twisted at odd angles, telling him that they were dislocated. His eyes narrowed further in fury when he noted the sound of her harsh, rattling breaths, suggesting that her ribs had been broken. He could not see her face, for it was shielded by matted, blood-streaked pink hair.

The other five Root operatives were approaching rapidly. He knew that he could not get her away before they returned but he had to release her now. Hanging there, she would be too vulnerable when he began to fight.

He studied the shackles as he released his henge, recognizing it as the standard issue used by all ANBU, Root or otherwise. In moments, he successfully executed the necessary jutsu to unlock it. When the shackles fell off her, he was there to catch her. Scanning her with his Sharingan, he noted that she still had enough chakra to heal herself, which was a good thing. Because she would need to. She had to heal her own injuries before it became too critical. But not here. Not in an enclosed space where she could easily become trapped again.

With that thought, he brought her outside the cave, settling her against the truck of a large tree, knowing that the Root operatives were too close for him to outrun them now. But what was more important was for Sakura to regain consciousness. He could not leave her like this while he fought.

The first thing to focus on was her fingers. Disliking the notion of hurting her further but knowing that it could not be avoided, he took her disjointed fingers and pulled, snapping them into place one after another. Low, pained moans escaped Sakura's pale lips as he worked, but she did not awaken, another sign of how badly she was injured.

Charging his hands with some healing chakra, taught to all ANBU for emergencies, he brought it to her chest and injected it slowly. Only medic nins were proficient at the advanced techniques, but he could manage the bare basics, which should be enough to waken Sakura. Much to his relief, after a minute or two, her eyelids fluttered.

"Sakura?" he called out, withdrawing his hands.

Her eyes peeled open slowly, and the moment recognition struck, the green orbs widened in alarm. "Itsuki! You shouldn't be here."

Still crouched in front of her, he tried to convey the urgency of the situation with a firm look as he took her hands and pressed them to her ribs gently. "You need to heal yourself before they return. Quickly."

"But-"

"This is not the time to argue, Sakura."

Her eyes were wild when she glanced around, and then, finally down at her chaffed wrist. "Shackles… How did you get the shackles off?"

He grimaced, knowing that this was the moment to come clean, but regretting that the explanations would have to wait. There was simply not enough time. "Root is heading this way. They will be here in a few minutes. Heal yourself."

"Itsuki! You can't fight them!"

He exhaled loudly, impatiently, before pinning her with a firm look. "I'm not a civilian," he admitted tersely.

Her eyes rounded in shock, and then flickered with an indefinable light. In a shaky voice, she asked, "What do you mean? You're a shinobi?"

Ignoring the twist in his chest, he nodded curtly.

Silence followed his proclamation. He turned away from her, but he could feel the weight of her stare upon him when he took out the storage scroll. Performing the necessary seals, he released the locking jutsu and extracted a bottle of water, some soldier pills and her clothing from it.

Placing the items beside her on the grass, he told her, "They are almost here. Heal yourself and then go."

And with that, he sped away from her, wanting to intercept the squad before they neared Sakura. He needed to make sure that they were far enough to buy her time to heal herself. She was far too weak to fight now.

At least, that was what he insisted to himself. Deep down, he knew that it was also because he did not wish to see Sakura's reaction when she realized who he was. Because once he began to fight seriously, she would know without doubt that he was an Uchiha.

Several minutes later, Itachi found himself surrounded by five ANBU Root operatives.

"Who are you?" a blue-haired Root asked, his tone betraying nothing but mild interest.

"No one," Itachi told him, but his action of drawing out a kunai with his hand was enough to inform them of his purpose there.

All five of them darted towards him simultaneously, almost making him smile. He stood still until they were almost upon him, and then leapt upwards out of harm's way. When he landed on the ground some distance away, all of them turned to him as one.

"You look familiar," another one pointed out.

Itachi smirked. In a speed too fast for anyone to decipher, he ran through the seals for a fire jutsu. "Katon: Housenka-no-jutsu!"

A series of fireballs ejected from his mouth, speeding towards his opponents, who scattered in different directions. It would not hold them off for long, he knew. And true enough, the moment all of the fireballs were extinguished, they came at him again, each brandishing their tanto.

Itachi twisted and dodged, blocking their blades with only a kunai. They were relentless in their attacks and he knew that it was time for him to take things to a new level.

He activated his Sharingan.

The ANBU Root closest to him froze when their eyes met. Almost instantly, the Root fell to the ground, clutching his head as he experienced a bout of Tsukuyomi. Unlike the relatively harmless ones he had subjected Hatake Kakashi and Sasuke to, this Root was experiencing the full strength of the attack. The torture that he was experiencing in his mind would kill him in time.

Picking up the discarded Root tanto, Itachi inspected the gleaming blade with approval before he turned to face the other four surviving ANBU Roots, who were clearly more wary of him now that they had seen a measure of his skills.

The blue-haired one commented, "An Uchiha."

Itachi saw no point in denying it, since they would not be alive at the end of this to report to anyone. "Aa."

"You will be detained, and brought back in Konoha," another one announced.

"You may try," Itachi murmured, not concerned in the slightest.

The battle recommenced again, but this time, none of the Root operatives were foolish enough to meet his eyes. And after one fell from catching sight of his fingers, the other three avoiding looking at him altogether. They fought, but the ANBU Root was at a clear disadvantage since they were preoccupied with keeping their eyes on his booted feet.

The three opponents were not the most difficult Itachi had encountered. As an S-class missing nin, he had been subjected to worse battles, and that had been during the time when his eyesight was almost gone. Now, with his newly regenerated abilities to see as clearly as those days before the Mangekyou, this battle was easily manageable. It made him wonder about the standards of shinobi training these days.

Sun glinted off the tanto he had relieved from his first victim as he swung it towards his remaining opponents. They ducked and blocked, but were not fast enough to counter when he executed a series of one-handed seals, releasing a water jutsu.

"Suiton: Suiryuudan-no-jutsu."

Three water dragons burst forth from the ground, heading straight for the Root operatives. Two managed to avoid the brunt of the powerful force, but one of them was too slow. The head of the water dragon caught him in the stomach, throwing him high and slamming him hard into the outside wall of a nearby rocky cliff. Even before the body hit the ground, Itachi knew from its disjointed shape that the Root was dead.

He turned to face the two remaining ANBU Root.

"You're Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi smirked. They finally recognized him. "Aa."

"Why are you here?" the blue-haired one asked, the incline on his head telling Itachi that he was still looking at his feet.

Raising a brow, Itachi responded, "I was merely passing by."

"You're supposed to be dead."

"Aa. That's true."

The other Root, a tall, black-haired woman, challenged, "Then how is it that you're standing here, in front of us, alive?"

"How is that any of your concern?" he returned smoothly.

An impatient sound escaped the lips of the male Root. "Enough talking. Let's take him back to Konoha."

They attacked in unison.

But Itachi was prepared. In a quick move, he surrounded them with a ring of black fire. They attempted to leap out of the ring, only to be pulled back by the black flames each time they attempted to do so. The chakra-fuelled Amaterasu ensured that they remained in the ring of fire.

"This is Amaterasu," he murmured, watching the increasingly agitated movements of his two opponents. "It will not let you escape."

Perhaps in the past, he would have allowed them to live. But the sight of Sakura in such a pained state did something to him. It made him so furious that he wanted them to pay for what they had done to her. It made him want to show them just how he had earned the title of S-class missing nin.

So he continued to watch impassively as the black flames of Amaterasu licked higher and closer to them, until their screams of pain and terror pierced in silent forest. Until they lay in the middle of the circle, charred beyond recognition.

It was then that he sensed her.

Relief flooded him when he realized that she was well enough to walk.

But in the next instant, he knew that what he had feared for months now would come true. So he simply stood there, his Sharingan activated, as he stared at the remnants of the black flames of one of his signature attacks.

Twigs snapped behind him, telling him that she was standing close by, a few feet away from his back. There was a sharp inhalation of breath from her, telling him that she had caught sight of the remains of the Root.

"Itsuki?"

Her voice was uncertain. Hesitant.

And a little fearful.

His heart was heavy in his chest, as if it was too heavy for him to even make the effort to turn around. But he knew that the sensation was psychological. He knew that he was just delaying the inevitable. He should have come clean months ago, but he held on foolishly. He clung on to the illusion, refusing to allow it to shatter to reveal the ugly truth.

And now he would pay for it.

There was no longer any point in putting it off.

Itachi turned slowly, until he was facing Sakura directly.

A sharp cry of shock left her as she stared at him with an expression of growing horror, her gaze locked onto his eyes. The backward steps she took away from him made something inside him clench painfully.

Her voice was tremulous when she finally spoke. "S-Sharingan. Your eyes…"

"Sakura…" he murmured cautiously. He wanted to reach out to grab her when she continued to back away from him, her eyes still wide with disbelief. It shook him that she was withdrawing from him, but he knew that it could not be helped.

Her face was devoid of color when she replied shakily, "Sharingan. Your blood limit. You are an Uchiha."

He inclined his head once, not knowing what he could say.

Wearing a horrified expression, she whispered, "How could I have missed it?"

He knew she would make the final connection soon, but he did not wish to prolong the torture. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew the book which he had dropped there earlier. When her eyes dipped to it, he flicked it open to the correct page and showed it to her.

Her breath hitched as her focus landed on his picture, crossed out with a large 'X', now that he was presumed dead. Pain flashed across her features as her gaze remained fixed on the image, and then it was replaced by a flash of anger.

And not before long, a mask which might as well be carved out of stone descended upon her features. Only then did she look back up at him.

"You are Uchiha Itachi."

000

* * *

000

A/N: And so it finally comes out. One more chapter to go, and that's all. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and please, leave a review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Finally, the last chapter of this story. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Lost One by elle6778 – Chapter 16**

Silence reined in the small clearing just an hour's travel away from Yugakure. The balmy morning air was scented with a telltale smell of charged chakra and burnt wood, and the scorch marks from fire techniques marred the otherwise beautiful forest.

But Sakura barely noticed any of these. She could only stare at the person standing in front of her, unable to utter anything else except his real name.

The past half an hour had shot by with a surreal quality. The moment she had finished healing her wounds and replaced her tattered clothing, she had sped towards the area where there was an alarming frequency of chakra explosions, thanking the fact that the Shinjutama fragments had lived up to expectations and stored more than enough chakra for her to heal all her wounds. Although it had been experimental, the technique had worked surprisingly well. Until now, the Shinjutama-fuelled chakra was still raging through her veins, feeling more substantial than her own. And frighteningly, less easy to control. While she had made her way swiftly through the forest, her mind had continued to reel from the fact that Itsuki was a shinobi, not a civilian, which explained many things when she thought about it. Even so, she was aware that the Root was more skilled than the average shinobi, which meant that Itsuki would need help in fighting them.

But now, staring at the man she had thought she known, she wished she had stayed where she was. Her entire body felt frozen now, as if she could not move if she tried. Her mind was still trying to assimilate the information that she knew would throw her entire world upside down.

She could not believe it.

All this time, she had not seen it. How could she not? Granted, she had only seen him once, many years ago from a distance. At that time, she had been too busy trying to avoid looking into his eyes, which meant that she had only caught a glimpse of his face. She had thought that his features were somewhat familiar from day one, and yet, she had stupidly not pieced it together. How could she be so oblivious and stupid? Or had he been using some sort of genjutsu on her all this time?

"Sakura…" he began.

He took a slow step towards her, as if trying not to frighten her. In response, she took a step back, her mind whirring with the implications of the discovery and her body trembling slightly with a mix of anger and fear and other emotions she could not name.

He was Uchiha Itachi. The S-class missing nin of a deadly organization who had massacred his entire clan, save Sasuke. The man who was standing before her now was the one who had caught Kakashi in a technique that landed him in the hospital for weeks. An Akatsuki who wanted to capture her best friend, Naruto, to extract the kyuubi from him, despite knowing that such a thing would kill the blond. The same one who had sent Sasuke running to Orochimaru for power. The reason Sasuke had left Konoha and the reason he did not want to return.

He was the same man she had laughed, joked and slept with. Someone she had seriously contemplated a future with. Things had been going so well between them. She still could hardly swallow the fact that the man she had been intimate with someone who had kept something his true identity from her.

She felt somewhat… cheated.

Then something else occurred to her. Lips parting with a horrified gasp, she realized that she had not censored her words with him all that much, thinking that he was a harmless civilian. She could not remember the specifics now, but she had definitely spoken of Konoha and possibly mentioned things that she should not have uttered in the presence of a missing nin. Confidential things, sensitive things that could be used against Konoha.

And the information was a weapon in his hands.

Her heart twisted at the thought of him betraying her. Vaguely, she noted that this must be what heartbreak felt like. Funnily enough, she did not think that the pain would actually manifest itself physically.

Her breath turned more ragged as she took a few more steps back away from the Uchiha.

This man… this man whom she had felt so happy with, did not exist. This whole relationship was fake. A charade. Some people said love blinded. That particular saying sure was valid when it came to her. Worse still, in doing so, she had placed her beloved village in danger because of her gullibility.

"Calm down, Sakura."

His smooth words pierced her, snapping her out of that surreal shock which had enveloped her.

"Calm down?" she managed to choke out. "You're telling me to … CALM DOWN?" Her voice rose to a shriek. "YOU DECEIVED ME!"

He only regarded her wordlessly.

A lot of things made sense now. Sasuke had seen Itachi, had seen through the façade. He had, and she hadn't. Was she truly such an incompetent kunoichi? In addition to her lacking battle skills, she was also easily duped? Or perhaps she should have been more observant in the past. She should have memorized his features instead of averting her eyes from him.

Sasuke knew that Itachi was alive and therefore was still hunting him. That was why Sasuke had seemed so mad when she had mentioned Itachi's death back then. The wounds suddenly made sense. Both Itachi's and Sasuke's. They had been fighting each other, the way they had always done. And she had remained ignorant of it all, healing both their wounds without suspecting anything. Without suspecting that they had been attempting to what? Kill each other again?

She managed to choke the words out. "You've been fighting Sasuke."

His expression hardened instantly, confirming her suspicions. Her heart sank even further at the uncharacteristic display of expression on his face. It was a mix of anger, irritation, and something darker and more violent. Was this the expression he had worn when he had massacred his clan? The thought of it, the thought of the way she had been sleeping with a mass murderer, made her feel slightly sick. It made her fear him in the way she had never thought she would.

But despite all of that, he had spared her. He had not harmed her. He had even gone out of his way to save her from trouble. And so, maybe, there was something she could do about this. Maybe he would listen to her.

"Please, can't you just leave Sasuke alone?" she pled in a whisper. "Sasuke left Konoha because of you. He won't return until you're dead. And now, he is still out there, hunting for you because he knows that you're alive. Can't you just… let it be?"

His jaw tightened visibly. "Sasuke and I have our own issues to resolve."

Sakura swallowed at his cold tone, the reality of the situation reinforced by his words. Itsuki had never spoken to her like this. This was not her lover anymore. This man was different. He was harder, and he was frightening. An S-class missing nin that had no qualms about killing his entire clan, and to top it off, he would not even allow Sasuke to live peacefully. Instead, he had to taunt his little brother at every opportunity. With Itachi alive, and Sasuke's vengeance unsatisfied, her old teammate would never return to Konoha, and Naruto, Kakashi and her would keep on chasing after him. But for how long?

All would be solved if Itachi was brought back to Konoha.

She was a Konoha kunoichi and was bound to follow the rules, and the rules were clear on situations like this. She had to bring him back to Konoha, or failing that, kill him. That was the protocol in regards to missing nins. Especially one who possessed dangerous knowledge about the village, thanks to her.

But she could not. Despite everything, her body trembled at the thought of hurting the man she had been in a relationship with for the past half a year. Not only that, she was probably one of the weakest jounin in existence, based on her recent performance. She could not handle ANBU Root, not even close, while both her teammates had taken down many other more powerful opponents. And this was Uchiha Itachi, someone who had been hailed as the genius of the Uchiha clan. There was no way she could apprehend him or kill him. He would not allow her to, regardless of this messed-up relationship of theirs.

Relationship? What relationship? No, he might _look_ like the person she loved but really, it was all a façade, was it not? It was all fake, she insisted to himself. FAKE! She was in love with someone who did not exist. Nakamura Itsuki did not exist. Uchiha Itachi had destroyed Sasuke and then destroyed Itsuki. All him, and how could he just stand there, as if he had done nothing but told a simple white lie?

It was all just a mirage, what she had with Nakamura Itsuki. None of it was real, like a carefully crafted genjutsu. Uchiha Itachi was the best at things like that, she had heard.

It occurred to her then that she might be rapidly going insane.

He was still staring at her silently in his usual impassive manner. Her eyes traced his features, noting just how different and _healthy _he looked compared to what he was like years ago. And not dead. Her breath hitched slightly with emotion when she realized that if he had truly died in that battle with Sasuke, then the past one year with him would not have occurred. She wouldn't have gotten to know him.

Hell, she _still_ did not know him. The person she had known was Nakamura Itsuki, not Uchiha Itachi. They were two different people.

She asked in a trembling voice, "How did you survive the battle with Sasuke?"

"I didn't."

Shocked by his words, she sucked in a sharp breath. Cautiously, she asked, "What do you mean? You… died?"

He nodded curtly. "Pein resurrected me."

Comprehension slammed through her and she cursed herself once again for failing to make the connection. If Pein could bring to life practically the whole of Konoha, then resurrecting one single Akatsuki member should not be a problem for him.

"What about the rest of the dead Akatsuki? Are they alive as well?"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm not certain."

The notion that the Akatsuki they had killed might have all been resurrected made her hands clench into tight fists. The medic in her screamed that this was wrong, that this was unnatural, but the technique had also brought Kakashi and the rest of her friends back to her, hadn't it? The technique was the same, whether used to revive the Akatsuki or Leaf nins. Why should one be more acceptable than the other? Was she being a hypocrite?

She wished suddenly that Naruto was here by her side. He always was able to see through things, unlike most other people. He always seemed to be able to achieve the unachievable. Until now, it still seemed unreal that Naruto had managed to get Pein to do a complete turnabout. No one really knew the full story, but Naruto always had something special about him. Somehow, he had convinced Pein to cease the destruction.

Hope suddenly bloomed as an idea took hold. If Pein could change so drastically, then maybe Uchiha Itachi was different now too. After all, he had not done anything to harm her in all this time they had been together. In fact, he had saved her twice now. He could have changed since his resurrection.

The feeling of bubbling hope intensified and she could not help but grasp desperately at it. But there was one thing she needed to know first.

Eyes searching his face intently, she asked in a shaky voice, "Why didn't you just tell me who you are right from the start?"

Please, please, let him come up with something that could justify this.

000

* * *

000

Itachi felt a heavy weight settle upon him at the sight of her expression. She was grasping at straws, perhaps attempting to find a way to place the blame elsewhere, so that she could work a way out of this predicament. It showed him just how much he meant to her. And he truly wanted to give her that hope that they could weather this.

But inside, he knew that it was too late for that. He had kept too many secrets from her and some had to remain secrets. He was not supposed to divulge his role as a double agent, even if Konoha no longer expected anything from him, thinking that he was dead. It would be difficult to explain things fully to her. However, he would tell her as much as he could.

"My memories were… compromised."

A mildly horrified look flashed across her features. Then, in a flat voice, she asked, "Compromised? You have amnesia?"

"Something of that sort," he admitted. "The technique Pein used was experimental, but he had deliberately blocked off my memories. I recall nothing but my own name and several disjointed images of the past."

"But now, you remember everything."

"Yes."

"When did this happen?" Her hands clenched and then unclenched. "When did you regain your memories?"

Itachi remained silent, knowing that the truth would not be what she wished to hear. Despite his resolution to tell her the truth, he found it rather difficult to put into practice. This particular truth would condemn him. The small voice at the back of his mind told him that he was delaying the inevitable. Sakura would push for an answer, and eventually he would have to give it to her.

"Tell me." She darted towards him, fisting his top in her small, white knuckled grip. "TELL ME!" she hissed, her expression displaying a mix of desperation and hope.

"Three months ago."

She sucked in a sharp breath, her grip slackening as she took one and then two steps away from him. She looked betrayed and he knew that he was the only who had betrayed her. He had betrayed her trust and something told him that it would not be easily repaired.

Perhaps never.

"A-All this time…" Her unsteady words broke off with a choked sound. She took a deep breath, her eyes taking on a wild look, and then she burst out, "THREE MONTHS? You knew three months ago and you didn't think it was _necessary_ to tell me?"

He shook his head once, having nothing to say.

She turned away from him, head bowed, but not before he saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes. The ragged heave of her shoulders, a reaction from her silent sobs, broke something within him. The urge to reach out, to comfort her was strong, but he knew with all certainty that she would not allow him to touch her. And so, he curled his fingers into his palms, keeping them tightly locked so that they would not reach out of their own volition.

When she regained some semblance of calm, she turned back to him, asking in a still-shaky voice, "How did you remember?" Something flickered in her expression. "Was it something I said about Konoha? Did anything I say trigger your memories?"

"Yes."

She looked pained. Her words were uncertain, almost fearful when she continued, "It was never the Shinjutama, was it? You approached me back then because you wanted your memories back. Because I reminded you of something."

Itachi swallowed past the tightness of his throat. He had known that this would happen, but he had not expected it to be so difficult to bear. "At first, yes."

Her bottom lip trembled as she stared at him with a pair of betrayed, emerald orbs. "I… I see."

Feeling the need to explain further, he added, "My past only returned fully when I saw the Bingo Book."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You…" she broke off. Right before his eyes, he saw her anguish give way to anger. And to him, any form of anger was certainly more desirable than the agonized hurt she had previously worn.

"How dare you take it?" she hissed furiously. "It's not yours to take."

Yes, her anger was much more palatable than her anguish. Calmly, he elaborated, "It fell out of your pack. Without it, I would never have recalled who I was. Without it, I would never have realized that you were foolishly risking your life, ignoring the fact that you're being monitored by Root."

She bristled indignantly. "I wasn't being foolish. I tried to be careful, but there were things I had to do. You know about Tsunade!" she spat. "I might not have used her name, but surely you know who I was talking about all this time. And if you know that, then you should know just how important it is for me to help heal her."

"To restore peace to Konoha."

"Not only to Konoha!" She took a deep breath, her eyes darting towards the dead ANBU Root. "You wouldn't understand."

His lips thinned at her unspoken condemnation. Much as he disliked killing, it had been necessary in this case. Leaving them alive would pose too much risk to Sakura and to himself. "They had to be eliminated, Sakura. Root will not stop until they get what they want. Danzou's training had seen to that."

"Then you should understand why I need to do this," she retorted heatedly. "Danzou is destroying everything."

"Danzou views the world from a different perspective."

"You weren't even there, were you? What do you know about it?"

His lips twisted bitterly. "I know more than I care to."

She stared at him wordlessly, as if she was trying to see through him. His statement most likely had confused her, something which did not surprise him. The events of the past had happened long before she had become a fully-fledged shinobi, after all. She had not seen what a war could do to a village or its shinobi. She did not know that if an order could prevent an all-out war, it should be executed even at the expense of one's life.

"What do you know about Danzou?" she finally asked.

"He is… uncompromising."

She blinked slowly, absorbing his words. "That's why we need Tsunade back in power." Her expression hardened. "And don't you even think of stopping me."

"I have no intention of doing such a thing." He hated the blatant distrust in her expression. "I have no wish to harm you, Sakura."

She stared at him, as if measuring his words, clearly wary him. Any notion of revealing the whole truth about his role as a double agent to her disappeared then. She might misjudge him, and he did not care to put himself in such a vulnerable position. As it was, thus far, he had felt more distress than he recalled ever feeling. Emotions usually did not come easily to him and he had never allowed the emotions of others to affect him either. Therefore, it had not been difficult to dismiss all the hatred directed at him over all these years, but Itachi found it impossible to do so when it came to Sakura. Her opinion was important to him and he did not wish for her to view him in an unfavorable light.

But that was clearly a futile wish. It was too much to hope that she would accept this revelation gracefully. With their pasts and their current statuses, anything resembling a personal relationship between them would be impossible. This was clear to him ever since his memories had returned. He should have cut his losses and separated from her then, but he had foolishly clung to the hope that… what? That she would accept him?

Clearly, he had been deluding himself.

And now, it was time to make the break, as painful as it was for him, and most likely for her as well.

"I will leave you here," he told her quietly.

Her eyes widened as her breath hitched. "No!" she blurted out.

Her quick response surprised him. Uncertain how to respond, he only stared at her, waiting for her to say something else. He could see that she was wracking her mind, as if considering what she should say to him.

Finally, she spoke hesitantly, "You're Konoha's missing nin."

So, this was why she wanted him to keep him from leaving? Her unspoken demand was clear but he had no intention of making such a foolish step, especially now that Danzou was in power. Itachi knew that the man sought to remove him from the picture so that the events from past did not have an opportunity to resurface. Despite its effectiveness, the decision to eliminate the Uchiha clan did not put the Danzou and the rest of the council in a good light. To hand himself to Konoha now was akin to signing his own execution.

"I will not turn myself in," he told her mildly.

Her expression hardened at his words. "And then I'll have to take you in."

He shook his head. "You are not capable of it."

"Do not slight me!" she retorted heatedly.

Directing a pointed glance in the direction of Tsunade's village, he remarked softly, "Surely you have a more important task to handle now, than to bring back a long-forgotten missing nin."

"I doubt they've forgotten you." Her tone was dry.

"Perhaps. You should settle the matter concerning your Hokage, not apprehending a missing nin."

"Konoha would want you." Her words wavered slightly there. "You are at the top of the list as far as the village is concerned."

"Perhaps," he murmured.

"There is no 'perhaps' about it! Konoha is not the type to let its missing nin run wild! As a Leaf nin, I'm expected to bring you back. Or at least report you," she told him harshly, but the sheen in her eyes betrayed her emotion, of her lack of conviction in her own words.

"You sound so certain, Sakura. So certain that you're doing the right thing." He regarded her intently, hoping that his words would get through to her. Perhaps she would understand the hint he was about to give her. "Then again, ignorance tends to do that. There are many things about Konoha that you do not know."

Her wariness returned full-force. "What do you mean by that?"

"We are all shinobi, Sakura." He paused, weighing his words before he continued, "And we have all been conditioned to follow orders, for the good of our village, despite the cost to ourselves."

"For the good of our village?" she echoed numbly. And then, voice shaking slightly with suppressed emotion, she continued, "Is that why you obeyed Akatsuki and massacred the Uchiha clan? For the good of Konoha? Is that why you caused Sasuke so much pain that he is where he is now? Is that why you hunt Naruto?"

Itachi felt something twist in his chest. She did not understand, but then again, he had not expected her to. She seemed to be bent on seeing him in an unflattering light, believing in the rumors that he had massacred the clan on Akatsuki's whim. She could not seem to comprehend that Konoha would issue such an order. But then again, no one else expected it as well. Which was why it had worked so well.

Deciding to answer her questions, he murmured, "Yes. It was for the good of Konoha. As for Sasuke, I've simply pushed him to strengthen himself. His methods, however, are questionable."

"Don't try to justify your actions," she snapped sharply.

And then she dragged in a deep breath, as if to calm herself. Itachi watched with a feeling of resignation as a myriad of emotions crossed her features; hurt, anger, sorrow, confusion and finally, dejection. It was as if this revelation had taken so much out of her that she did not have the ability to fight anymore. The fact that he was the cause of all this was not lost on him, although he had not set out to do so. He had not expected anything like this when he had first pursued her a year ago. Things had turned out very complicated.

"Sakura-"

"Don't," she interjected heavily, eyes closing. "It's… This is just too much." She took another deep breath, and then her eyes opened, revealing moist emerald orbs. "This…" Gesturing weakly between the two of them, she continued in a shaky voice, "This isn't going to work, is it?"

He stared at her silently. That was something he had known since the return of his memories, but having it put into words stung more than he had anticipated.

A bitter laugh bubbled from her lips and Itachi decided there and then that he hated the sound. It was a far cry from her usual lighthearted laughter.

Her voice cracked when she said, almost plaintively, "You're a missing nin. I'm a Konoha jounin."

"I know."

She reached out to him, eyes shimmering with unshed tears of anger and sorrow. Itachi felt his heart twist painfully at the sight. He had not wished to hurt her so badly, but he knew that she would not view it in that manner.

Her palms connected gently with his cheeks, cupping his face as she stared up at him and he gave in to the urge to kiss her. Their lips met softly, and then their movements became more desperate, more urgent, as if both of them knew that this would not last for long. He _knew_ whatever that they had between them was now over. It was something he had anticipated, but knowing did not make him feel better.

"Itsuki…"

That name again, he despaired inwardly as his hands tightened around her upper arms. Needing to hear it from her, even though it would certainly invite pain, he murmured against her lips, "Sakura, my real name…" Just once, he added silently.

She froze in his arms, making him almost regret his demand. But he needed to hear it. He needed her to acknowledge who he was. Even though he was not proud of some of the things he had done, it was still him. No one had forced him into anything. Everything he had done had happened because he had chosen. It was him, Uchiha Itachi.

"I-Itachi…" she whispered brokenly as her hands trembled against his cheeks.

And then he parted her lips with his, kissing her deeply again, pulling her closer to him. Just kissing was never enough, but Itachi knew that he no longer could ask for more. This was the last time.

It was at that moment that her hands left his cheeks to slide down to his chest. A tiny prickle of warning made him tense, forcing him to break the kiss. In a blink of an eye, as if by reflex, he caught her wrist, slowly removing her hand from his person. His reaction, in turn, made her smile brokenly, as if she felt the loss of trust as acutely as he did.

000

* * *

000

Sakura had not known that it was possible to feel this level of anguish. But it was to be expected, really, considering the impossible situation. Already, she could feel her throat tightening up with emotion and her vision growing blurry with her unshed tears.

All those times in the early days when she had been so wary of him, all those times she told herself that she was being paranoid, those had been her instincts warning her after all. After spending more time with him, the suspicion had gradually eased until it was no longer present. Now, the wariness and distance was back again between them. He was wary of her intentions, she knew.

And it hurt.

She had held on to her emotions so tightly ever since she had realized who he was. But now, the feeling of hysteria bubbled over, and she gave in to it. She allowed herself to crack.

"Why… WHY?" she cried, launching himself at him.

She beat at his chest, weakly at first. And then with more and more strength until Itachi was thrown backwards against a tree. And yet, he just allowed her to release all her pent-up emotions until she stopped, backing away from him, even as she kept her eyes on him warily at all times. This powerful missing nin just let her vent without any retaliation, leaving himself open and vulnerable. Tears were running down her face, leaving wet, humiliating tracks. She hated that she was crying, and she hated that he was there to see it.

Her frantic movements finally stilled, and she let her hands fall to her side. The tears kept coming, much to her shame and disgust. She kept crying, first for Sasuke and now him.

"I…" She broke off, dragging in a deep breath as she dashed her tears away. Raising her eyes to him, she found him staring sadly at her and understood then that this was not easy for him as well. "I don't want things to be this way," she finally told him plaintively.

He closed his eyes briefly, and then reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. It was a gesture meant to console, she knew. The urge to lean down, to rub her cheek against his hand, was strong, but she refrained from it. It would be too intimate, at this point.

"Things do not always turn out as we wish," he told her quietly, his hand sliding off her slowly.

"Is there no way…" she trailed off, not able to voice the traitorous words.

He shook his head. "Not at the present."

She bowed her head sadly, knowing that he was right. This was Uchiha Itachi, a wanted missing-nin. No matter what she felt for him, her loyalty was to Konoha. Therefore, it was impossible for them to be together. No matter what she felt for him, she could not throw her whole life, her friends, her home… everything… for him.

Maybe that meant she did not feel _enough_ for him, even though she knew that she already felt more than she should. But as much as strong as her feeling was, she knew that she had only one option. One path to take, and no other.

"This is it, isn't it?" she whispered.

He inclined his head. "Yes. It is best that we part ways."

She took a step backwards away from him. "Will I see you again?"

"Perhaps."

And she knew. She just knew that he would be watching her for a while more, even as she took the first few steps to distance them. It was no use. She did not need more time to think about this because nothing would change. Turning from him, she began to walk away swiftly. The faster they separated, the better it was. She just had to hold on to her composure until she was sure that he was not watching.

The next time they saw each other, it would be across enemy lines.

Her breath hitched at the thought, and her steps stilled. Would she be able to make herself fight him? Would he kill her in retaliation?

"Go."

His voice was soft, barely audible, but she heard it all the same. She was so attuned to him at that moment that she would have heard each and every bit of his whisper should he decide to do so.

She really should go, but instead, she stopped.

She stopped, turning around to face him fully.

And that was when she felt it.

000

* * *

000

Sasuke.

A hiss of irritation almost escaped Itachi's lips. He could walk away now to intercept Sasuke and commence their usual battle, but he knew that to do so would mean that Sakura would interrupt them. And Sasuke could be rash enough that he would not care if his ex-teammate was caught in the crossfire.

He needed to deal with Sasuke now, without Sakura's presence. Perhaps discourage Sasuke from battling there and then. Before Sakura noticed that her old teammate was heading straight towards them.

However, luck was not on his side. Sakura's eyes were widened in recognition as she stared past him. It was clear that she had noticed Sasuke's approach, he thought with a grimace.

"S-Sasuke?" Sakura whispered, her voice carrying a tinge of fear.

Something within him splintered at the sound. He had held his emotions on a tight leash throughout this entire encounter, but this appeared to be the last straw. A flash of anger coursed through him.

Why must Sasuke appear now? Must everything centered on him? He had focused his entire life around the boy, but this was one thing he wished to keep private. Sakura was someone wished to keep to himself. But it was clearly not possible. His hands clenched into tight fists as he glared into the distance in the direction of where his little brother was coming from, hardly able to keep his resentment to himself.

Then he inhaled deeply, willing himself to remain calm. Losing his temper would not be beneficial at this point. He had to think objectively, he thought, as he considered his choices.

He could confront Sasuke, with Sakura there to witness the battle. Who would she side with then? Him or Sasuke? As much as he loathed to admit it, Itachi knew that it was unlikely for her to take his side against her teammate's. His other option was to disappear in the other direction, and attempt to outrun Sasuke. It guaranteed that Sakura would give chase as well, but her target would not be him, but Sasuke. In both scenarios, it would be impossible to avoid a confrontation.

Of the two options, the former would be preferable. For the latter would only delay the inevitable. And he was thoroughly weary of any form of avoidances now.

He locked eyes with Sakura then, watching as she grew increasingly pale.

"No…" she whispered, her voice tinted with dread. "Don't go after him."

"He is coming for me, Sakura," he told her flatly.

It displeased him that she immediately assumed that he would attack Sasuke, instead of the other way round. He could explain things to her, tell her that he was attempting to stop Sasuke from attacking Konoha, but he did not wish to be subjected to her disbelief. Such a thing would pain him even further. Because he understood her well enough to know that where teammates were concerned, she was not objective at all.

Her fists clenched by her side. "Stay away from him, please?"

Irritated, he asked her, "Why are you so certain that it's not Sasuke initializing this attack?"

"Of course I know he is! He wants to…kill you," she trailed off, looking torn. "For revenge."

Growing increasingly incensed by her blind loyalty to Sasuke, he turned away from her. "Think what you wish."

Without another word, he streaked away from her. Although it was a given that she would follow, he knew that he would reach Sasuke before her. Perhaps there was still enough time for him to salvage this mess.

His hands came together for the seals for a teleportation jutsu, and with a flare of chakra and a puff of smoke, he was transported a significant distance. He sped through the rest of the forest without pause, tracking Sasuke's trail. His little brother had not bothered to conceal his presence, which was fortunate, because Itachi was feeling too impatient to hunt today.

The green blur of the forest flashed past as he focused in the distance, and with both of them moving towards each other, it was not long before Itachi found himself standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at the figure standing there at the base a hundred feet or so below him.

As he watched, Sasuke infused chakra to his feet and swiftly scaled the rocky cliff face until they were standing in front of each other. His little brother's eyes were darting left and right, his expression sharp as he searched for something.

"Sasuke, this is not a convenient time for our battle," he told the younger Uchiha without preamble.

"What is going on, Itachi?" Sasuke's eyes focused over his shoulders. "I felt bursts of chakra. Who are you fighting?"

"ANBU Root."

"Konoha?" Sasuke frowned. "What are they doing here?"

"Nothing."

Bristling, Sasuke returned, "Don't patronize me. It's obviously not nothing." He eyed the area speculatively before returning his gaze to Itachi. "You were fighting Konoha ANBU Root. Does that mean that you're finally changed your mind?"

"You have not defeated me yet, have you, Sasuke?" he challenged mildly.

"But if you're fighting Konoha…"

"No," Itachi interjected impatiently. "We should continue this another day. It is not very convenient right now."

"I'm not here for you convenience, Itachi," Sasuke shot back. "You're behaving strange. What's really going on?"

Still staring at a point beyond him, Sasuke tensed. For a brief moment, Itachi saw concern flash across his little brother's face, and as much as he disliked to admit it, he could guess that Sakura was the cause of it. Sasuke had obviously just sensed his old teammate's rapid approach. And the flash of concern? Itachi did not even want to contemplate what it might imply.

When Sasuke turned back to him, his expression was a mix of confusion and caution. "You were fighting my old teammate?"

"No."

"Then why is she headed this way?"

"To see you, perhaps."

Sasuke's eyes flickered with suspicion, and a hint of threat. "You don't seem surprised by her presence. Are you acquainted with her?"

Something inside Itachi chilled at Sasuke's dark tone. It occurred to him then that it would not do for Sasuke to find out about him and Sakura. Perhaps his little brother had feelings for the pink-haired kunoichi. He seemed to trust her enough. There was no telling how Sasuke would react to the news of their intimacy, especially if he realized that Sakura had been healing _both_ of them, and therefore, indirectly making it more difficult for Sasuke to defeat him.

Things seemed to be getting worse. He had to stop this before the situation spiraled out of control. Knowing how fond Sakura was of Sasuke, Itachi knew that she would be crushed if she found out that Sasuke wished to unleash a bijuu upon Konoha. It was best that she remained ignorant of this little fact. It was yet another truth he had to keep from her.

All he needed was time. If he managed to convince his little brother to let go of this plan, no one had to know that Sasuke had even thought to betray Konoha. Perhaps Sasuke could even go back there, to a relatively normal life with his friends once Tsunade wrestled the control of the village back from Danzou. Sasuke did not have to live the life of a missing nin. He could even settle down with… Sakura… and go about his task of reviving the clan.

An insidious, selfish voice whispered in his mind then, telling him that revealing the truth would swiftly rid Sakura of her infatuation with Sasuke. Then, perhaps Sakura would see _him,_ and not Sasuke.

He dismissed it immediately. It was the foolish hope of a desperate man, because he knew that Sasuke only a small part in their pending separation.

A loud shout pierced the air then, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sasuke!"

Both of them tensed as the pink-haired kunoichi burst into the area, breathless with the exertion. Her emerald green eyes swung from one to the other, her trepidation unmasked for all to see. She had hoped not to see them facing each other like this, clearly.

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" his little brother asked.

"I…" she faltered uncertainly, her eyes continuing to flit back and forth between them. Then, almost as if she had arrived at some sort of conclusion, she turned to him. "Don't fight him, Itachi."

Sasuke tensed visibly. "What are you saying Sakura? Stay out of this."

"I can't! I can't watch both of you fight each other like this!" she cried out.

Itachi tensed further as comprehension dawned upon Sasuke's features.

"Sakura. Who is Itachi to you?" he asked, a small frown appearing between his brows.

Much to Itachi's relief, Sasuke only seemed confused and curious, instead of angered. Perhaps his little brother truly did not return Sakura's feelings. Perhaps revealing this particular truth would not be too detrimental to anyone, after all.

Itachi watched silently as the kunoichi glanced away, biting her bottom lip, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. She could not even meet his eyes. It was almost as if she was _ashamed_ of their relationship. It had not been an issue when he was Nakamura Itsuki, but now that he was Uchiha Itachi, she clearly wanted nothing to do with him.

The crack within his chest seemed to stretch wider, making him ache.

Before anyone else could say a word, Itachi broke the silence. "No one. Our paths coincided occasionally, but she only discovered my identity today. When she saw my picture in the Bingo book," he fabricated.

Sakura's eyes shot up to meet his, surprised and confused, while Sasuke gave her an incredulous look. "You didn't recognize him?" he asked.

A grimace appeared on her face. "I've only seen him once, back when I was fifteen. I was trying to avoid looking at his eyes then," she admitted.

Sasuke eyed them thoughtfully, as if trying to decide if they were telling the truth. He must have, for shortly afterwards, he told her, "Stay out of this, Sakura. It's none of your business."

Stubbornness tightened her chin. "I'm making it my business."

Displeasure washed over Sasuke's features. "You're annoying."

Itachi did not like how Sakura wince at his little brother's words. But she did not seem surprised by it. Clearly this was not the first time she had been subjected to Sasuke's thoughtlessness. How could she be so loyal to Sasuke, in the face of his treatment towards her? Their relationship was bewildering, and what was worse was that Itachi found himself _jealous_ of her blind loyalty to his sibling.

"Leave now, Sasuke. We will deal with our issues some other day," Itachi told him, diverting his little brother's attention away from the kunoichi.

"No," Sasuke immediately returned. "We will handle things now. Just the two of us."

Sakura held herself rigidly under Sasuke's pointed stare, ignoring his unspoken request. Her eyes flitted once again between the both of them, as if expecting them to attack each other at any moment. Itachi was not surprised, for the tension in the air was coiling tighter as each second passed.

"I'm not going anywhere," she finally told them.

Sasuke took a step towards her.

Itachi immediately knew that he was aiming to knock the kunoichi out. But that would not serve his purpose. He did not wish to battle with Sasuke now. He did not wish for Sakura to wake up to realize that they had been fighting again, and she had been unable to stop them. It was Sasuke who needed to leave them alone for now, especially since he and Sakura had yet to reach a final closure.

Clearly catching on to the younger Uchiha's intent, Sakura took an anxious step backwards. "Sasuke, don't do this," she warned.

Sasuke's eyes remained on the pink-haired kunoichi. "It's only for a while, Sakura," he told her with a hint of regret in his tone.

Itachi made his move then, making a beeline for Sasuke's back as the younger shinobi turned away from him. He caught a glimpse of Sakura's eyes widening in horror at his approach, but he focused his attention on Sasuke, just managing to catch the younger man off-guard before he twisted around.

A well-placed jab at a specific pressure point was all it took to reduce Sasuke to unconsciousness. Slipping his arms around his brother, Itachi caught him before he could hit the ground.

"Stop it!" Sakura shrieked suddenly. "Don't hurt him!"

Then there was a blur of pink speeding towards him. Too late, he realized that Sakura had misread the situation. At that angle, she probably had not been able to tell that he had not harmed Sasuke.

He jerked away, but Sasuke's limp body hampered his movements. The burst of chakra which connected with his left arm was still unexpected, as well as the odd hum which flooded his entire body in an instant. He pushed her away, but to his dismay, he found that his limbs were quickly growing numb. He fell to his knees, releasing Sasuke's limp body as he did so. She must have used some form of medical technique on him. Unfortunately, it was not something he was familiar with, and he had no idea as to how he could dispel the technique.

The silence around them seemed loud, making her single footstep sound louder that it actually was as her sandals crunched subtly on the dry ground. Their eyes met then, and he could see that hers were filled with moisture. Her movements were cautious as she knelt down beside his brother, only breaking eye contact long enough to drag Sasuke's limp body away from him. And then she resumed watching him with a troubled expression, as if expecting him to attack at any moment.

But he wouldn't do such a thing, would he? It was just pathetic, the way he had allowed her to do this with nothing but a mild glare in her direction. Despite everything, he had not expected her to do such a thing. Another part of him reasoned that she had done so because she had thought that he was about to harm Sasuke.

Still, if it had not been clear before, it was as clear as crystal now. The trust they had built between them over the past year was certainly gone as if it had not been there in the first place.

Then, just as abruptly as it had begun, it was over.

The hold her chakra had on him dissipated, feeling as if a tight lock had broken. He flexed his muscles then. Much to his relief, he found himself able to move again, although his muscles felt a little sluggish. Standing not far away, Sakura gasped in surprise, clearly not expecting her technique to release so soon. Her arms went around Sasuke protectively, no doubt expecting an attack from him.

Just as Itachi straightened to his feet, he felt something shift within him, something which he instinctively knew was important. Much to his consternation, it was something he could not put a name to. It was almost as if part of his senses was dulled.

"What did you do?" he asked stonily.

Her expression was a picture of guilt as she averted her eyes. Instead, she kept her eyes on Sasuke's unconscious form as she murmured, "I'm sorry."

She really meant it, he realized with a twist within his chest. Whatever technique it was that she had used, it had probably hurt her to use it against him. It saddened him, the fact that it had come to this. Perhaps he should tell her that he had no intention of harming Sasuke in the first place.

"Sakura…" he began.

Her voice cracking, she snapped, "Don't!"

His lips pressed together, studying her wordlessly. It would seem that fate would not allow the truth of his actions to be revealed this time. There was nothing he could say to her at this juncture, he supposed. It was too late for words. Besides, didn't someone say that actions spoke louder than words? Their actions, misinterpreted or not, had spoken loudly for them.

And speaking of her actions, until now, he was still conscious of that odd feeling of incompleteness within him. Concerned about what she might have done to damage him, he decided to test himself, summoning chakra to his limbs.

Sakura's eyes immediately widened in alarm. "Please, don't…"

Ignoring her, he flicked through a series of seals. He felt something resist within him, something which was trying to prevent him from drawing forth the necessary chakra for the jutsu. But it did not take him long to break through it. But it was enough to tell him what he wanted to know.

He released the fire attack safely to his left, ignoring the scent of burning shrubbery as he turned his gaze on her. She was staring at him wide-eyed, her expression conveying her disbelief. It was clear what she had attempted to do. It was a cruel measure to inflict on a shinobi whose main skill depended on chakra. But she knew that. Strategically, it was the best thing she could do. For her village, for Konoha. Not for him.

The realization displeased him greatly.

Despite her failure to pull off the technique successfully, he knew that she had managed to tamper with something else. However, he chose not to divulge the information to her. Clearly, they were once again at opposing sides if she had no qualms about using such a technique against him, and therefore, it would not be wise to hand her information that she could use against him one day. Her action had just proven that she would not betray Konoha, even for him, despite her obvious reluctance.

Still, through his haze of anger, he could admit that in an odd, twisted way, he was proud of her. The village still had hope if it managed to produce a kunoichi as loyal like her. Someone who would not sway in the face of personal emotions.

"You will leave me unable to utilize my chakra?" he asked quietly, not bothering to hide his displeasure. "To leave me vulnerable?"

A pained look crossed her features briefly, only to be hidden rather unsuccessfully by a wavering mask of indifference. "It wasn't supposed-" She broke off, inhaling deeply before she continued, "I just didn't want you to kill Sasuke."

"If I had wanted to do so, he would be dead when he was five," Itachi threw back, his tone growing tighter at the mention of Sasuke.

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" she cried out. "You attacked him!"

What could he say to that? Nothing, surely, he thought bitterly.

For a long time, they simply stared at each other wordlessly, each of them lost in their own tumultuous emotions. Sakura was the one who finally broke their eye contact, heaving a large sigh as she did so.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry things turned out this way."

He agreed wholeheartedly, but said nothing.

She closed her eyes briefly, and then opened them again to run her emerald orbs over him. He felt as if she needed to memorize his features. Almost as if they would never see each other again. But one could never tell with such things.

"What if we meet again?" she blurted out, clearly thinking along the same vein.

"Do you wish to do so?"

"No."

Her answer did not surprise him, and he had to agree that it was best if they did not meet again. He simply had to forget her, to move on. Surely such a thing was not impossible.

In a barely audible voice, she asked, "Was it… real? For you?"

There was no hesitation as he nodded. "Yes."

Her bottom lip trembled slightly. "Me too."

He inhaled slowly and deeply, trying to still the unfamiliar churn of emotions. These… confessions… were making it even more difficult for them to walk away from each other. But they had to.

"Can I ask you for… one last thing?"

He knew what was coming as her arms tightened around the unconscious Sasuke's waist.

His suspicions was confirmed when she asked, "Please, don't kill Sasuke."

Sasuke again.

Without answering her, he turned around with a soft, murmured, "Goodbye, Sakura."

Her only response was a hitch in her breath, before he felt the burst of chakra which signaled a short distance teleportation jutsu.

Then, all he could feel was the steadily diminishing sense of her presence, followed swiftly by the steadily increasing press of sorrow in his chest.

000

* * *

000

The first and foremost thought in Sakura's mind was that she had to run. She had to put as much distance as she could between her and Itachi.

Her heart wrenched painfully, so suddenly that she almost stumbled. Tightening her hold on Sasuke, shifting him into a better position on her shoulder, she continued to move away from where she knew a certain missing nin stood.

Yes, she had to run away. Because if she did not, she might just turn around and run straight back to him, despite his attack of Sasuke earlier. The urge to do so was so strong that it frightened her. It frightened her that she might throw away everything for him, even to the extent of betraying Konoha.

No, she wouldn't, she insisted to himself.

Her cheeks stung, and she realized belatedly that she was crying. Biting her lips did not help. The tears kept coming.

She did not want to leave him, but what else could she do? The two of them would never work. He had demonstrated it earlier, in the way he had attacked Sasuke. How many of her friends would suffer at his hands? How could she possibly condone it? He treated her well, but for them to be together, she had to choose either the life she had known for so long and her friends, or him and a life of a missing nin.

Not that he had asked her to stay. He probably came to the conclusion that it would not work out either. Besides, she was certain now that he hated her, judging by his expression of hurt when she had attacked him earlier.

She had not meant it to be a full attack. It was just supposed to numb him briefly, but the moment her chakra burst forth into him, she had known that she had underestimated the strength of the Shinjutama-enhanced chakra. So, instead of just numbing him, she had come close to disrupting his chakra pathways. It had frightened her, the fact that she had almost hurt him badly. And that was the last thing she wanted to do.

A part of her hoped that this whole thing was a bad dream, that she would wake up to find him sleeping beside her, or propped up on his elbows gazing at her with that affectionate light in his eyes. She already missed it. She already missed him. It was unreal how much this hurt. All that she knew now was that she felt emptier than she had ever felt before. And something told her that she would feel this way for a very long time.

Her throat tightened as a sob escaped.

She had to stop thinking about it. She had to stop thinking about him. They were still not out of danger, and she did not know if more ANBU Root would turn up to hunt her. She remained in danger as long as she was in Spring Country, and as long as Sasuke was with her, she was putting him in danger as well.

They had to split up. That meant that Sasuke had to wake up. And that meant that she had to use more of the Shinjutama-enhanced chakra she was beginning to fear. What if it hurt Sasuke? But it had not hurt her when she was healing herself, had it? Maybe it would be okay if she was very careful.

There was no choice. She had to do it.

When she was sure that she had travelled close enough to Wind Country, she dropped to her knees to release her load. Sasuke was heavy and she doubted that she could run much longer supporting his weight. As he rolled onto the grass, she placed glowing hands on him, trying to stimulate him into consciousness. She felt his system respond, stirring sluggishly. What the hell had Itachi done to him?

No, she really did not need to think about Itachi now.

Resolutely focusing on Sasuke, she carefully pushed some healing chakra into him, until she saw his fingers twitch. Deciding that it was enough, she retracted her chakra. She did not want to risk using more than necessary.

Only then did she slump backward, stretched out fully on the grass beside Sasuke. Her breath was ragged with exhaustion. A stitch at her side made her press a hand to her midsection. And the moment she did so, she became aware that she had forgotten to check on something. If there was any time to do it, it would be now. Before Sasuke woke up.

Sitting up, she carefully executed the necessary seals, hoping that she could pull this off with her depleted level of chakra.

She almost cried out with relief when a large slug materialized in front of her. It was not one she recognized.

"Thank you for coming," she told the slug gratefully.

The slug nodded. It reminded her that she should really learn all their names, but so far, she had not done so. She promised herself that she would do so the first chance she got. Now, she needed information.

So she asked, "Do you know if Tsunade has left the village?"

The slug seemed to pause briefly, and then it nodded.

A relieved exhale of breath left her. "That's good news. Did she get to Suna?"

The slug hesitated then, and concern shot up Sakura's spine. "You don't know?" she prompted.

The slug shook its head slowly.

"Okay."

Maybe the tiny palm-sized slug summon had only stayed long enough to see Tsunade leave the village, after delivering the message. In that case, they would not know much about Tsunade's movements beyond that. They should be okay if they were disguised, she told herself, knowing that it was pointless to worry about it now. Smiling gratefully, she thanked the slug summon again before dismissing it.

Turning to Sasuke, she noted that he was already waking. A quick scan of his body told her that if she did not want to answer some awkward questions, she had better leave now. From what she could tell from her earlier treatment of Sasuke, he was physically fine, and would be able to defend himself if the need arose.

With that thought, she straightened and fed chakra to her feet. Before long, she was running again.

It took hours, but fueled by desperation and other emotions she did not care to name now, she did not stop until she reached Suna. She only hoped that Tsunade and the other two medics had arrived safely there. And hoped that Gaara had cleaned up the spies before their arrival, although it wouldn't make that much of a difference to her now, since they already know about her and Tsunade.

She was standing in front of the gates of Suna just as the sun set. The guards recognized her on sight, allowing her to enter the village after a quick scan to make sure that she was not bringing in anything illegal. Vaguely, she wondered what they were looking for, but she brushed the thought to the back of her mind, concentrating instead on reaching the administration office. She could see the top of its domed roof peeking over the roofs of the lower buildings surrounding it, and the sight of it was strangely reassuring. She had definitely developed some sort of bond to this place, judging by her reactions.

Before she knew it, she was standing in the Kazekage's office, having being let in by Kankurou. Seated behind his desk, the redheaded leader of Suna stared at her intently, obviously noting her battle and travel-weary state.

"Gaara," she greeted briefly, still feeling nervous and tense.

"What happened?" he asked, going straight to the point.

"I'll explain later. Is Tsunade here?"

The Kazekage regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding once, "The Godaime is here with her assistant."

An exhalation of sheer relief escaped her. "I'm so glad they made it. What about Rin?"

"Two arrived, that's all."

Sakura frowned in confusion. What happened to Rin then? Had she decided to stay back? Tsunade would surely know. "Can I see them?" she asked.

"That would not be advisable. They are in disguise. I will inform them of your arrival."

And that meant they should not have any contact with a certain pink-haired kunoichi, Sakura thought a little dejectedly. But at least they made it to Suna safely. Now that they were secure, she had to focus on her own safety. She had no doubt that Root would somehow trace her to Suna. And when they did, would Gaara hand her over the way he had done with the previous group of missing nins? It would be risky to remain here but she needed to stay until she could join up with Kakashi and Naruto.

"What about Kakashi and Naruto?" she asked.

"They are aware that the Godaime is alive. They are gathering forces as we speak."

Her eyes widened. "So soon?"

"Yes. Now tell me what happened to you," he ordered, his tone uncompromising.

"I…" She halted uncertainly, fearing his reaction. Inhaling deeply, she continued, "I just escaped a squad of ANBU Root. They… might come looking for me here."

Opposite her, Gaara's countenance chilled visibly, sending a stab of apprehension through her. She understood the Kazekage's position. After all, he had explained it to her. For the safety of his own village, he would have to turn her over to Danzou.

"How did they find out?" he asked tonelessly.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know. Spies, probably. I was on my way back to Yugakure when they surrounded me." She turned a pair of pleading eyes towards him. "Gaara, please, I have nowhere else to go right now."

"They are hunting you." His eyes narrowed. "You were careless and they found out."

"I know." She hated to beg him, but she was left with no other option. "Just… let me stay for a while? At least, until I join Kakashi and Naruto?"

"Hm." He looked thoughtful. "Where are the ANBU Root now?"

"I… um…" She could not bring _him_ up. "I escaped."

Gaara was clearly skeptical of that answer, but he only continued to stare at her. The uncertainty of where she stood was beginning to unnerve her, and she began to fidget.

"Please."

He regarded her critically, as if trying to see through her. Finally, when she thought that he would say no, he revealed, "I know what Danzou needs you for. And he will not release you easily."

"But-"

He held a hand up to silence her, before continuing, "A trade will be necessary."

Now she was confused. "A trade?"

"Like for like." After a pause, he added, "A Shinju descendant for a Shinju descendant."

She gasped in surprise as his words sank in. "There are others?"

He nodded curtly. Sweeping his eyes over her, obviously disapproving of her bedraggled appearance, he ordered, "Get yourself cleaned. Then go to the guestroom and stay there until you're told otherwise. It is not safe for you to wander around until this is resolved. Now, go."

Her mind was still reeling with what he had just told her. A trade? Another Shinju descendant? It seemed a little too much to take in all at once. Whilst she was relieved, it did not escape her notice that Gaara was taking a huge risk for her. Something which was odd, based on his previous actions with the Konoha missing nins.

So, just before she left the room, she asked, "Gaara?"

He gave her an impatient look.

"Not that I'm not grateful. But why did you agree to help me when you let them take the other Konoha nins?"

A clearly irritated expression flashed across his features. "You're different."

"Why? Because of Naruto?"

He turned his attention back to the mission scrolls on his desk before responding curtly, "No."

She pushed softly, "Then why?"

Without looking up, he told her, "That is a conversation for another day. Now, you're dismissed."

Understanding that that was as much as Gaara could take from her, she nodded and made her way out of the room. Still, she could not help but wonder why he was making an exception for her. It was probably because of Naruto, and Gaara simply had not felt like admitting it just now.

Whatever it was, she was glad that she was safe for now. She should be happy that Tsunade was safe here too, under disguise, of course, and that Kakashi and Naruto had rallied enough force to start preparing to take back Konoha.

But somehow, she could not muster that feeling of happiness within her.

The only feeling that dominated was this awful sense of emptiness.

000

* * *

000

It had been eight months since Itachi had last seen a certain pink-haired kunoichi, and longer still since he had last set foot in Konoha. And now, he was standing there in the land where he had been born, his entire body frozen to the spot as he absorbed the information he had just been given.

A shiver ran up Itachi's spine, but it had nothing to do with the wintry chill which swept through the area. His lips quirked slightly as he thought of the previous winter. Things had seemed so simple then, with him living the life of a civilian. It was a lie, of course, but it had been nice while it had lasted, especially when Sakura was in it.

Sakura.

The last time he had laid eyes on her was the day she had ran from him, with a sad but determined gaze that told him she would push what they had to the back of her mind and carry on as if they had never met. It was the day he had vowed to do the same, just before he ventured in the opposite direction from her.

If only it was that simple.

For a while, he had managed it. As he travelled from country to country, he had kept his focus on the reintroduction into the rogue shinobi world. Not wishing to invite trouble, he had concentrated on keeping a low profile. To survive, he had taken easy assignments from unknown contractors in distant lands. As far as he knew, no one suspected his true identity.

Then, gradually, his mind had begun to fill with thoughts of her. Every little thing he encountered seemed to remind him of things that they had shared. Even absent, she played a large role in his life, despite his attempts to pretend that their relationship had never existed.

It had taken him merely three months to arrive at the conclusion that it was impossible to push Sakura to the back of his mind, let alone the completely eradicate her from his thoughts. Three months was the span of time it had taken for him to realize that he had to find her.

Now, as he stood in Konoha amidst unsuspecting Leaf nins, five months after the commencement of his search, he finally discovered what had become of the pink haired kunoichi. The information had come from the chuunin in front of him, a young kunoichi who had no notion that she was giving out information to an S-class missing nin.

Her information explained why he had not been able to find her, even though he had searched all of Spring Country and Fire Country, twice over. It explained why he had not heard any news about her over the past eight months. Shinobi usually did not remain static, especially one involved in such a large rebellion. She would be moving around, avoiding capture, but there would still be sightings. That was what he had been counting on in his search.

Now, after his conversation with the chuunin, her absence made sense.

He was too late.

Numbly, Itachi stared out into the distance, finding it difficult to believe what he had just heard from the shinobi in front of him. It was a mere chuunin, no one of great importance, and certainly not someone who could recognize him under the well-executed henge. But he was acutely aware that the information she had given him would influence him for the rest of his life.

"Koga-san? You okay?"

The chuunin's words snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the teenage girl before him. She had addressed him by the name of the shinobi he had borrowed this identity from. Moegi was this chuunin's name, if he recalled correctly. She was the teammate of the Sandaime's grandson.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

Her eyes clouded. "I'm sorry you have to hear it from me. I didn't know you were close to her at all."

"She healed me once."

Moegi nodded somberly. "She did a lot of that. She was a great kunoichi." She glanced around nervously, before saying, "It's just too sad that she was a casualty in the first wave of attack. At least, that's what I heard. The battle happened close to the border, when they tried to get in."

Itachi nodded, somewhat numbly.

His task was done now. There was no reason for him to remain in Konoha any longer.

"Have a good day," he told her politely.

He did not wait for her response. Instead, he quickly made his way out of the shinobi village, suddenly feeling a little suffocated.

However, even when he had cleared Konoha's boundary walls by miles, the feeling of suffocation remained. His chest was heavy and there was a coil of tightness within him, making him feel intensely uncomfortable. He did not know what he could do to ease it. His genius mind could not provide him a solution to this.

He felt… lost.

And he could not help but wonder how long he would feel this way.

000

* * *

000

A pink-haired kunoichi stepped into the newly built ceremony hall, and was instantly surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of people. Conversations flowed freely as shinobi and civilians alike laughed and joked, lending light to one of the most important events in Konoha. The atmosphere inside was a far cry from the empty streets outside.

Catching a familiar face, a medic colleague who stared at her with gaping jaws, she smiled widely and waved at him, before pushing her way through the throng.

She had not seen Konoha for years. Six, to be precise. And most of the shinobi and civilians of Konoha had not seen her in all that time. Which explained the various shocked looks directed at her. The questions were varies, but the meaning was the same.

"What sick joke is this?" one shinobi had snarled viciously at her. "This is not funny, you know. Release the henge!"

Another one cried out with wide, horror-struck eyes. "I thought you were dead!"

"Is that _really, really_… you, Sakura?"

"What the hell? Has Naruto seen you?"

"Sakura-san! You're alive!"

She had handled the exclamations with as much composure as she could muster. Really, she should have expected it. Despite Gaara mollifying Danzou with her Shinju relative, Tsunade had wanted to make doubly sure that she was safe from the angry Rokudaime, who might seek retribution for the part she had played in the rebellion. And to do so, the moment the rebellion against Konoha commenced, the Godaime had spread the rumor that a pink-haired kunoichi had been slain in battle. Only a few trusted people knew that she was safely hidden in Suna, parading around with a henge. She had balked at the idea of staying behind, but she had relented eventually, knowing that she had other priorities to take care of.

Sakura glanced around at the happy revelers, a soft smile lighting her lips.

So much had changed since she had last seen Konoha. She had been sixteen when she left the crumbling remains of the village, and now she was twenty-two, back to see Konoha's leadership in new, but capable hands. The take-over had not been swift. In fact, it was the opposite. Tsunade and her supporters had fought hard for four years, fighting their way through Danzou's allies and Root. It was only earlier that week that they had gotten Konoha back, thanks to Tsunade. Sadly, her shishou had not survived the battle.

Realizing that she had fallen into the all-too-familiar habit of mulling over the past, she shook it away and pushed past the crowd. She was making a beeline for a certain triangular hat poking upwards, close to where to podium was situated. Her lips quirked slightly at the thought of the new Hokage wearing such a thing on a daily basis. Somehow, she was certain that the unfortunate hat would find itself in a trashcan as soon as this formal ceremony was over.

Finally, she reached the mask shinobi, who was obviously feeling a little ill at ease by all the attention he was getting. Her practiced medic's eyes scanned him quickly. He looked whole and well, albeit a little weary. The moment he saw her, his single visible eye creased.

"Congratulations, Kakashi-sensei," she exclaimed with a large smile.

"Ah, Sakura-chan. My favorite kunoichi. You made it back in time."

"I wouldn't miss this," she told him.

He gave her a fond look. "The last time we've seen each other was back in Suna. I was afraid that you might have gotten lost on the road of life."

She rolled her eyes at the familiarity of his words, even as she continued to smile. The last time they had seen each other was four years ago, just before he led a faction of the rebellion towards Konoha. There was so much she wanted to say to him, and so much she wanted to tell him. But she knew that this was not the appropriate time. They could catch up later.

"Sakura-chan!"

Naruto!

She turned around with an excited smile. However, her excitement dimmed slightly when she saw his face. The grin he was wearing was a pale imitation of his usual one. They had not seen each other for a while now, but the last time she had seen him about a year ago, he was his old, cheerful self, even amidst all the fighting. Almost immediately, concern coursed through her. It took a lot to subdue Naruto, and whatever that was bothering him enough to do so was definitely serious.

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

He looked pained, struggling to keep his grin intact. "Tell you later."

"What is it?"

"Sasuke."

Her eyes widened in surprise. She had not seen Sasuke ever since that day she had left him at the Wind Country border. Had they found him? Surely if they had, she would have heard something by now. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit that Sasuke had not been on her mind much. She had been rather occupied over the past few years.

She was about to open her mouth to ask Naruto to explain when the people around her began to hush. Her attention was diverted to the podium a few feet away, where Kakashi had stepped onto to address the crowd.

A feeling of pride washed over her then. Kakashi would be a good Hokage, she knew. Like her, the crowd fell silent, listening intently to their new Hokage. One could hear a pin drop in the silence.

Kakashi cleared his throat, looking a little discomfited until someone yelled, "Oi, Hatake, say something already!"

The tension broke as the crowd chuckled. There were also calls of, "Shut up, Genma!"

Kakashi waved his hands in a placating motion. "No bickering in the ceremony hall."

He waited for the crowd to settle again before he began to speak. "The past few years have been difficult for most of us. Some of us stayed in Konoha, while many others left." A single dark eye swept over them before he continued, "Sadly, whether they stayed or not, some of our precious people did not survive Danzou's regime."

The crowd of shinobi and civilian alike murmured in agreement as Sakura blinked back the tears which threatened to escape. Tsunade should be here to see this. But then again, without her sacrifice, this day would never exist. It was just so unfair that after everything, the most important woman was not there.

"However, it is important to remember that even though they are not physically present, they are here," Kakashi paused as he thumped a fist against his heart. "Our precious people will always be here with us."

Precious people, she thought as a lump grew in her throat. While Kakashi went on, the memory of a pair of dark eyes fringed with thick lashes surfaced in her mind. No, no, she did not want to think of him. She did not want to think of just how difficult it was to forget him, even after four years of separation. As it was, she was constantly reminded of him.

Scanning the crowd, Kakashi continued, "Between us all, we will build a new Konoha. A village where all of us can live in peace, where our loved ones are nurtured and our shinobi strengths are advanced to its peak. A Konoha where teamwork and bonds are valued." His tone hardened as he continued, "A Konoha where military ruthlessness is only considered as a last measure."

Loud cries of agreement rang out while some punched fists upwards.

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "That's right. Things will be different. But that doesn't mean that we'll allow others to walk all over us."

Rumbles of assent undulated through the mass of shinobi and civilians as Kakashi assured them that Konoha would remain strong. Sakura smiled softly as she watched her sensei with undisguised admiration. Who knew that the lackadaisical jounin would be so good at this? He was saying what Konoha needed to hear to motivate them for the future. And she knew that he meant every word.

As Kakashi went on speaking, she glanced around at the crowd of many familiar faces, allowing a welcoming warmth to seep into her. It was time for her to embrace this, for her to leave parts of her past behind. It was time to accept that although the void in her heart left by a certain Uchiha would always be there, she had to move on.

She had stayed too long in Suna, and it was time for her to come home.

It was as if Kakashi had read her mind, for his single visible eye settled on her then. "There are still many of us out there, many still in hiding, many still too afraid to return home. We will spread the word so that they know they still have a home here. We will spread the word so that all lost Leaf nins can find their way back to where they belong."

She felt a strong arm squeeze her then, and she did not need to turn around to know that it was Naruto. Her eyes dampened slightly at Kakashi's words, but she managed to keep smiling.

Up on the podium, Kakashi raised a fist up in the air, his voice ringing clear in the sky, "To a new Konoha."

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**END**

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A/N: I can hear the sounds of protests out there. But no fear – the first few chapters of the sequel "The Return of the Heir" are already posted. Then again, most of you already know that (grins).

For those of you who are interested, The Lost One was not supposed to be a story on its own at first. I was planning on writing The Return of the Heir with LOTS of flashbacks, but halfway through, I realised that the sheer amount of the flashbacks was getting ridiculous. So that was how The Lost One was born. And now that it is done, let us move on to the main story… erm… sequel…The Return of the Heir.

As always, I'd love it if you could review. Thanks!

:elle6778:


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